I spent 3.5 years living as a mid-30s single lady in Paris; 2 of those years were off-and-on confinements and curfews. Bakeries were an essential business and remained open the entire time – praise all things holy and good. Eventually the outdoor terrasses started to fill, and now the City of Light is back in all its glory.
Lockdowns aside, I got a good taste for (pun intended!) the good spots, the healthy spots, the local spots, the picnic spots, the viennoiseries and the apéro spots…
When I arrived in Paris, though, I was a recovering Ayurveda-obsessed health-nut. I still deeply appreciate and implement various time-tested tools like Ayurveda into my diet and my lifestyle, but France has been teaching me how to lighten up.
My current French residence and my body both continue to remind me that stressing about things like diet and lifestyle can negatively impact health, and can unfortunately create a laundry list of discomforts to boot.
I’ve always known deep down that joy plays a role in physical and mental health, which is maybe why I’ve always had a knack for discovering adorable, healthy places to eat and enjoy a matcha latté or vegan treat, alongside savoring delicious [organic when possible] wine, cheese, croissant, butter, and bread bread bread.
My aim has been to soften around rigid dietary and lifestyle habits without sacrificing the health of the body and the planet; without nixing the beloved holistic practices that cultivate balance and are always there for us to access when needed.
Although France – especially Paris – has been embracing some wellness trends that America has gone bananas for, I find that most Frenchies still love their Frenchness enough to embrace quintessential French essentials like:
good food
good wine
good vacation time (a wellness trend America can get behind)
good company.
One of my most frequently asked questions (after “How do I move to Europe?,” “How do you make your matcha?,” and “Am I doing this yoga pose right?”) is if I can share my Paris recs.
I thought it was time to create a list that people can turn to while making their Paris plans – whether it’s an Olympic-related visit, a romantic getaway, a lux vaca, a budget-friendly backpacking pit-stop, or a good-vibes self-love solo-trip (10/10 recommend).
Et voilà: my Paris City Guide for those who are invested in healthy living – whatever that means to you – without foregoing the pure pleasure of all France has to offer.
The Guide includes 27 pages of local insights, historical sights, parks, museums, over 50 of some of my favorite restaurants – including cafés and boulangeries – from health-conscious to traditional French fare, things to know when ordering food / beverages, how to get around town, shopping, day trip and hotel suggestions, and more.
Read the full post and get a sneak peek on Substack.
Click here to get the Paris City Guide
Or become a Substack subscriber to get the full guide for free, which includes:
- Neighborhoods / arrondissements and their attractions – museums, parks, shopping streets, and local activities
- Restaurants – over 50 of some of my favorite eateries and boulangeries
- Supermarkets – especially the health-food stores I frequented
- Transportation and things to know about getting around
- Hotel ideas – a few mostly mid-range options
- Day-trip insights
- Yoga studios
- Tips like ordering food / drinks, where / how to refill your water bottle, etc
- Beaucoup d’amour
*The link to get the guide will show it as a “Course” – know that it is just a PDF that will be emailed to you 🙂
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