For many, Paris is about museums and monuments; for others, it’s about wining and dining; for still others, it’s about shopping (even if only gazing through the windows). As a frequent visitor to Paris, I usually try to do a bit of everything, but truth be told, unless there’s a special exhibition I want to see, I generally skip the major sights such as the Louvre. You don’t need me to tell you what the must-sees are in Paris—especially on your first trip—any guidebook can do that for you. So here instead is a list of some of my personal favorites—some I return to on every visit, some were new to me, but will be on my must-see/do/eat list in the future. I hope they become some of your favorites too.

OK, it may be kind of touristy, but when the weather obliges, one of the first (or sometimes last) things I almost always do in Paris is take a boat ride on the Seine. When the weather is warm enough, I sit outside; if not, the big glass windows offer an ideal view. I’ve done this ride during the day and at night, when the City of Light truly is a sparkling display. Guides are on hand to offer commentary on what you’re seeing, but the idea is just to relax and enjoy the ride. There are several companies that provide these boat tours along the Seine, including Bateaux-Mouches® (www.bateaux-mouches.fr) and Bateaux Parisiens (www.bateauxparisiens.com).

A French institution, Ladurée, on the Champs-Elysées (no. 75), was Paris’ first tea salon. In the 1950s, Ladurée’s pastry chef invented the French macaroon—two lighter-than-air cookies filled with a flavored cream (chocolate, lemon, pistachio, green tea…the flavors defy imagination). This is one of my favorite mid-afternoon breaks—order a small plate of cookies along with Ladurée’s chocolat chaud, served in a silver pitcher, and get your energy back for the next round of sightseeing.

When you want ice cream in Paris, Berthillon is the place to go. Once available only at its original location on the Île St. Louis, you can now find Berthillon glacés et sorbets throughout the city (including on the Champs-Elysées). A small boule of glacé au chocolat is rich and deeply chocolatey. Scoops of ice cream are much smaller in France than what we find here at home, but you won’t mind in the least because the flavor is so intense. One of my other favorite flavors is gianduja, a somewhat lighter, hazelnut-flavored chocolate, containing slivers of orange peel.

For the past few years, friends have been telling me about the extraordinary Musée Jacquemart-André (158 blvd Haussmann, www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com). On a recent visit, I was finally able to see it for myself. This 19th-century mansion was once the home of business magnate Edouard André and his wife Nélie Jacquemart. The museum houses a truly stunning collection of furniture and art, including works by Italian artists Mantegna, Uccello and Botticelli. There is also a wonderful gift shop where you can find reasonably priced souvenirs.
Near the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris (also a must if you’ve never been there before), on the Square de I’lle-de-France, is a small, somber site I return to every year—the Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation, which opened in 1962. This tribute to the 200,000 resistants who were deported to concentration camps from France during World War II never fails to move me. Descend the staircase to the river level, where simple chambers are lined with tiny lights to represent each deportee who did not return. A stark iron gate looks out onto the Seine, while all you can see above you is the sky.

When walking down the Champs-Elysées toward the Rond Point (the opposite end from the Arc de Triomphe), I came across Artcurial (7 Rond Point des Champs-Elysées). This gallery/café/art bookstore is a treasure trove for those, like myself, who enjoy books on art, photography and design.

You don’t have to love opera to appreciate the Palais Garnier, the Paris Opera House. Both the interior and exterior are brimming with opulence—colored marble, molded stucco, gilt, red satin and velvet boxes, and a false ceiling painted by famed 20th-century artist Marc Chagall. You can take in an opera or ballet here, or you can just spring for the six Euros and tour the magnificent building. There’s a small, but well-stocked gift shop to the right of the entrance (you can go to the gift shop without paying the entrance fee).

Just across the square from the Palais Garnier is the Café de la Paix (12 blvd des Capucines). When the weather is frosty outside, you can sit in the heated, glass-enclosed terrace and watch the world go by while you indulge in one of the café’s legendary pastries (try the millefeuille).

As a writer, one of the things I love most about Paris is that it is a city of readers, which means it is a city of bookstores. From the bouquinistes along the Seine, with their used books (and increasingly, souvenirs and chatchkes) to the bookshops that seem to appear at every other corner, there’s no shortage of reading material in this city. If you want to stick to English-language books, walk along the rue de Rivoli and stop in at both Gallignani (no. 224) and W.H. Smith (no. 248). Gallignani specializes in art and design books and literature in both French and English; the books are stacked high on mahogany shelves that make you think you’re in an Old World library. W.H. Smith is a branch of the British chain, and in addition to two floors of books, it offers an extensive magazine selection. Best of all, it’s open on Sundays. One of my other favorite bookstores is on the other side of the Seine, on the Rive Gauche (or Left Bank). The Village Voice (6 rue de Princesse) has a great selection of the latest English-language fiction, nonfiction, poetry books and literary magazines. The store also regularly hosts book signings/readings and is a great place to meet both French and American/British book lovers too.

I just discovered this intimate, and extremely attractive, new museum in the Saint Germain area of Paris. The Musée des Lettres et Manuscrits (Museum of Letters and Manuscripts, 8 rue de Nesle) provides a glimpse of history traced through more than 2,000 documents and letters from such notables as Mozart, Freud, Napoleon and Einstein. There are both permanent and special exhibitions and a small gift area.

Finally (I could go on and on), Paris is a city of breathtaking views. Most people make their way to the top of the Eiffel Tower for a view of the city. There’s only one problem with that—once you’re at the top, you can’t see the most recognizable landmark in Paris—the Eiffel Tower! Instead, take a trip to the top of the Tour Montparnasse (33 ave du Maine, www.tourmontparnasse56.com). In just 38 seconds, the high-speed elevator will take you to the 56th floor where you can visit the panoramic café/lounge and also find orientational diagrams that let you in on what you’re seeing. For a completely unobstructed view, however, climb up two more flights of stairs, stand in the white target painted at the center, and marvel at the sight of Paris spread out before you. My favorite time to go is dusk when you can not only watch the sun set, but also see the lights come on all over the city. v