For Francophiles craving a taste of Paris, lovers of culture and cuisine, and anyone who looks good in a beret, here is a guide to spending a day in D.C. like a Parisian would. Read below for some off-the-beaten-path places and activities we recommend to add a little je ne sais quoi to your day:
Bike and Baguette
Photo courtesy of John Towner
There is nothing quite as Parisian as starting your day with a leisurely bike ride through the gardens to the boulangerie to pick up a fresh baguette. Luckily for you, the city architects of Washington added diagonal streets to the traditional grid to mimic the grands boulevards de Paris. Hop on a Citi Bike, enjoy the wide streets, and ride on over to Logan Circle and Le Diplomate.
You may be familiar with Stephen Starr’s 14th street hotspot and its traditional late night French fare, but the real star of the show is the brasserie’s bread. Starting around 9:30 am on weekend mornings, the restaurant sells the iconic components of their bread baskets: traditional flaky baguettes and delectable walnut-cranberry breads by the loaf. Pick one up and tuck it under your arm for your bike ride home.
Afternoons Away at the Cafe
Photo courtesy of Adam Stefanca
Hungry after your ride? A warm meal, strong espresso, and good book should do the trick! Nuzzle up in The Potter’s House, the Adams Morgan equivalent of Paris’s famous Shakespeare and Company. More than a café, The Potter’s House is a cozy community space with bookshelf-lined walls and art on display. Fall into the Parisian tradition of light fare and people watching by taking a book and planting yourself in the window for a few hours. A non-profit DC staple since 1960, The Potter’s House will give you an intellectual, historic feel, as if Hemingway and Fitzgerald were working on novels right beside you.
Engage with La Culture Française
Cliffs at Pourville by Claude Monet, image courtesy of The National Gallery of Art
Paris may be the world’s museum champion, but you don’t need to cross the Atlantic to be immersed in the grand feel of Parisian architecture and French art. DC is home to many fine art museums, and some are brimming with French artists. Check out the National Gallery of Art for famously French artists like Paul Cézanne and Claude Monet. The NGA is also home to Degas’ original wax sculpture, La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans. The National Museum of Women in the Arts boasts pieces by female French artists, as well. Its lobby, which is shiny, gold, and spotted with chandeliers, will make you feel like you’re in the grand exhibition halls of Le Petit Palais.
Parisian Happy Hour
Photo courtesy of Ben Schumin
Neither Paris nor DC are strangers to open spaces and beautifully green parks. Paris’s Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is nicknamed “the Picnic Park” for its rolling green hills, water features, and constant crowds of picnicking Parisians. Pick up your favorite bottle (or two) of wine, some brie, and your freshly bought baguette to have a “Parisian happy hour” of your own. DC’s Meridian Hill Park could easily be situated in Paris with its 19th century architecture and gardens, and is the perfect place to people watch as the sun sets.
Restaurer au Café Bonaparte
Photo courtesy of Kelsey Knight
Climbing far up Wisconsin Avenue, you will feel like you are strolling the hills of Montmartre when you stumble across Café Bonaparte, a restaurant so small you could almost miss it. On the outside, Bonaparte does not boast the prestige or pomp of Le Diplomate. Yet, it gives you the classic Parisian feel: a small, quaint, lovely space where the food speaks for itself. Curl up in the window table with a bottle of red wine and a soupe a l’oignon gratinée on a rainy day with a loved one. Bring a group of friends to eat and chat over canard de confit and steak frites. Bonaparte transports you right to the Paris dinner table, and you’ll want to linger in the little spot over empty wine glasses for hours.
See the City by Night
Photo courtesy of Roberto Nickson
Every Parisian knows the best way to see the city is at night, strolling along the water in the glow of the twinkly lights. While the Potomac may not be the Seine, it will have to do. Walk off your meal along the Georgetown waterfront; the reflections of the Kennedy Center and the Arlington skyline will glow in the water and perhaps for a second you will hear an accordion song playing in the wind.
From staff contributor Claudia Teti