Of course you can’t skip the Louvre and Ladurée, but these insider spots will have you feeling like a Parisian.

Do
Avoid the crowds of Champs-Élysées and be a flâneur in Paris’s chicest neighborhood, Le Marais. Here you’ll find the city’s hidden gems, from Jewish bakeries to art galleries to independent designer shops, including the elusive Azzedine Alaïa. Keep an eye out for style-savvy Parisians as they stroll away on these cobblestone streets. Métro: Saint-Paul (M1).

Shop
Our fashion editor—a former Parisienne—recommended Didier Ludot, a high-end vintage and consignment store. It’s truly spectacular, with finds ranging from $200 costume earrings by Dior to several-thousand dollar Givenchy couture. Tip: if it looks closed, ring the doorbell. Didier Ludot, 24 Galerie Montpensier - Jardin du Palais Royal, 01 42 96 06 56, www.didierludot.fr

Eat
The French chef Pierre Jancou of Vivant is a trailblazer. This tiny 20-something seat spot serves traditional French fare, the greatest selection of natural wines, foie gras out of this world, and perhaps the finest bread in the right bank. Hip Parisians love this spot, so reservations are a must. Vivant, 43 rue des Petites Ecuries, 01 42 46 43 55.

Drink
People often skip Le Café de Flore, deeming it too touristy. But the truth is that this legendary café, once visited by the likes of Sartre and de Beauvoir, is just as beloved by locals. Its fashionable clientele includes Sofia Coppola and Inès de la Fressange. We spotted the illustrious Yohji Yamamoto enjoying his afternoon espresso! Le Café de Flore, 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 01 45 48 55 26, www.cafedeflore.fr

See
In the city where one could go to the Louvre and Palais de Tokyo, it might sound silly—bordering on crazy—to be recommending a public toilet. If I tell you that the Toilettes de la Madeleine is the world’s most beautiful bathroom, we wouldn’t be lying. A throwback to the dreamy Belle Epoque era, its carved wood panels and stained glass windows will transport you to a different time, Midnight In Paris style. —Anya Georgijevic

Toilettes de la Madeleine, Place de la Madeleine
Check out our Parisian Street Style pics in our Editors’ Diary.

We may not be heading to Paris anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we can immerse ourselves in "La Ville-Lumière," without even leaving the comfort of our couch.

As far as we’re concerned, Midnight in Paris is the movie must-see of the summer. Follow along with Owen Wilson as he meanders through time, partying with F. Scott Fitzgerald and his irrepressible wife, Zelda, pounding back drinks with Ernest Hemmingway, discussing his own literary merit with Gertrude Stein, and savouring the artistic temperament of Salvador Dali, Picasso and Toulouse Lautrec in Woody Allen’s magical tale of self-exploration and discovery.

Having had a taste of Paris in the '20s, turn the pages of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. Told from the point of view of Ernest Hemmingway’s first wife, Hadley Richardson, this beautiful book takes the reader from the initial spark of meeting, to the eventual ashes of their ruined relationship. $18.77 at Amazon.ca

A sojourn in Paris may be no further than the Internet. We get outfit inspiration from Easy Fashion in Paris, filled with eye-catching photos of fashion fresh from the streets of Paris, turn to Meg Zimbeck’s Eating Paris blog for a feast for the eyes, and soak in the life of La Coquette to imagine our parallel life as an expat in Paris. And sometimes we take a peek into the life of our very own Parisienne à Montréal, editor of Vitamine du Jour, Elsa Vecchi.

—Jennifer Nachshen

Paris is best enjoyed one neighbourhood at a time, so we settled in the charming pedestrian area of Montorgueil, once painted by Monet, for a week of pâtisseries, bistros and boutiques.

stay
You won’t find many hotels in this quaint Parisian quarter, so opt for the cute and cozy Carroussel rental apartment and its quirky mix of old and new. Up above, old wooden beams, down below, new hardwood floors and a cherry red kitchen that stows a handy washer/dryer. The spot is so quiet, you might be fooled into thinking you’re living outside city limits. €91 per night for seven nights, through Paris Hideaways, http://studio.provaction.com

eat
Your morning ritual must include pain au chocolat from the best bakery on the main market street, La Maison Stohrer (pictured), est. 1730. Its pastries are so good, you’ll seriously consider mortgaging your home to have the pâtissier FedEx you a dozen every day. 51, Rue Montorgueil, Paris, +33 01 04 13 01 61, www.stohrer.fr

drink
The area is brimming with trendy bars inhabited by Paris' young and restless, so make it your aim to stumble into a different establishment every night. At the simply named 2éme Arrt, you find good drinks, tasty tapas and a friendly owner who’ll join your table and chat you up. 49, Rue Montmartre, Paris, +33 01 40 26 75 51.

shop
Down rue Montmartre and its side streets, you’ll find French favourites Cotélac and Zadig & Voltaire. But for those with a shoe fetish, step into 58m for gorgeous soles by French designers Avril Gau, Sartore and Michel Vivien, and soft, sumptuous bags by Jerome Dreyfuss. 58, rue Montmartre, Paris, +33 01 40 26 61 01, www.58m.fr

Last Bastille Day, we dabbled in French culture (read: merlot and a Marion Cotillard movie marathon). This Bastille Day, we’re plunging in with trip-planning to Paris that will have us seeing the city more like locals and less like touristes.

The key to living more like a Parisian—if only for a week—is living in a Parisian pad. For the price of a hotel, and sometimes less, you can procure an apartment that provides a kitchen to cook your market finds in and a washing machine that lets you pack lighter. No sketchy Craigslist communiqué required with sites like Cobblestay, which offers a shortlist of the chicest flats, and Paris Hideaway—managed by an ex-Montrealer—that boasts broader, budget-conscious finds.

That and a brush-up on our en français and we’re practically ex-pats.

www.cobblestay.com
http://studio.provaction.com

Research has shown that listening to Mozart makes you smarter, but to feel happier, as determined by our own conclusive studies, we prescribe Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

Out today, the new album from Parisian pop outfit Phoenix (which happens to be helmed by Sofia Coppola’s paramour and baby daddy Thomas Mars) puts a spring in our step that even this season’s excruciatingly high stilettos can’t subjugate.

With a song about “Lisztomania,” a term coined by 19th century German romantic poet Heinrich Heine to describe the hysteria that ensued at pianist Franz Liszt’s performances, you could say it’s making you smarter too.

Available on iTunes.

The late summer getaway to The City of Light we’re planning may be far off, but we’ve got a way to study its manifold charms now without leaving the armchair.

Touching on the foremost facets of the French capital—hotels, restaurants and shops—Taschen’s Paris is a coffee table tome worth owning. The stunning pictorials and pithy summaries of locales like Christian Lacroix’s fanciful Hôtel du Petit Moulin, Café des Deux Moulins from Amélie, and Maison Martin Margiela’s non-descript boutique ignited our wanderlust.

While the book looks beautiful, it’s also discreetly practical, with a brief outline of the “x-factor” and pricing for each place. That way, you can make note of it in your Moleskine before you set off and avoid looking totally touristy when you set down.

Preview and purchase Taschen’s Paris ($39.99) at www.taschen.com

If you were picking your holiday spot on the basis of its literary connections, where would you go?

San Francisco, New York, Florence, Paris, St. Petersburg?

U.S.–based company Literary Traveler caters to bibliophiles looking to travel into the world of books.

Literary tours include Montreal, (Mordecai Richler), Florence (Dante Alighieri), and London (Charles Dickens). Or meet Sick Boy on the Trainspotting tour of Leith and Edinburgh. "If it’s a really bad day Sick Boy himself will be behind the bar, serving with a snarl."

At the other end of the world, follow in the footsteps of Gauguin with exotic idylls in French Polynesia.

“Life is like a song. You have to enjoy it while it plays because you never know if it will come on again,” Paul Gauguin.

www.literarytraveler.com

Why wait for spring? We like Paris anytime.

stay

For an affordable room steps from the Seine, we suggest Hotel Esmerelda. A listed monument, this 17th-century building is a little lopsided but oozes charm. Unfortunately there is no elevator, but the higher you go the better the views of the Notre Dame. From CDN$140/night, 4 rue St-Julien-le-Pauvre, 5th, metro St-Michel +33 1 4354 1920.

shop

Romantic, ethereal and edgy, Moon Younghee is one of our favourite designers working in Paris. She only makes one of each piece and the shop is next to the atelier so you can pop next door to try on your clothes and see the patterns being cut. 62, Rue Charlot, +33 1 48 04 39 78.

eat

For the most decadent patisserie in Paris head to Ladurée. The orange flower macaroons coupled with thé Marie Antoinette (a blend of citrus, rose and jasmine) is hard to resist. www.laduree.fr

do

Rising above the rooflines of the royal palace, Sainte Chapelle is one of the most exquisite churches in the world. On a sunny day, the colours of the floor-to-ceiling stained glass will take your breath away. http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/

Who doesn’t love Paris in the spring? But the culture, cuisine, champagne and shopping are just as fetching in the shoulder season.

Stay
Until Shangri-La Hotels finishes the renos on the Bonaparte family mansion, we prefer to stay at the très friendly Hotel Nicolo, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower. Doubles from $175 including tax and petit dejeuner. www.hotel-nicolo.fr

Eat
Rubbing elbows with your neighbours is part of the fun at Left Bank bistro, Le Comptoir. A revered gastro-pub that serves expertly prepared regional, seasonal cuisine. Le Comptoir, 9, Carrefour de l'Odéon.

Drink
Culture? Check. Sipping bubbles at the Centre Georges Pompidou’s stunning eatery Georges is art. Absorb the avant-garde, Space Odyssey design and all-male legion of gorgeous French waiters. Stop in at twilight when the city skyline explodes into sparkling lights. www.centrepompidou.fr

Shop
Get lost down fabled French streets as you pilgrimage to the surprisingly subtle shop of the red-sole master cobbler, Christian Louboutin. Victor, a virtual Prince Charming, will whisk a stocking upon your weary feet as you step into the world’s most beautiful shoes. Hello Cinderella. 19 Rue Jean- Jacques Rousseau, www.christianlouboutin.fr

Do
Leave the masses at Notre Dame and walk over the bridge to quaint Ile Saint Louis for the best ice cream known to man at Berthillon (31, rue St Louis-en-l'Ile). Reminiscent of a 17th Century French village, the island features markets, bakeries, fromageries, cafés and adorable boutiques.

Trying to figure how to get your teens out of their bedrooms this summer?

Send them to Paris! This teen travel company will take your budding fashionista to a real fashion atelier for a sneak preview of designer collections being made, then to a fashion show, after which she’ll hit the couture circuit and secret discount shopping spots. Next up: architectural tours of Luxemburg Gardens, the Louvre and L’Arc de Triomphe. Tomorrow: cooking lessons with a real French chef.

Consider it summer school: The Sun Also Rises is just so much more interesting when you know where Hemmingway wrote it, and the French

Revolution is terribly relevant after you’ve strolled through the Place de la Concorde. And French classes, well now that’s a piece of cake.

Paris trip, June 24-July 6, 2006, US$3,485 inclusive. Read more and see other destinations at www.travelforteens.com