Real Guides: Paris, France by Camille de Cussac
The Parisian illustrator and artist walks us through her hometown.
Camille first and foremost is an extremely kind person. She is also a native Parisian, as well as an incredibly talented illustrator and artist. Her aesthetic is clever and colourful. Camille is able to take scenes from everyday life and give them a fresh, extraordinary quality. Her work is available here.
I feel lucky to have met Camille when I was studying in Paris many moons ago. She and I held a very special (hot chef) friend in common… if you’re curious his name is Constantin and he frequently shares amazing recipes and food guides on his Instagram (so give him a follow).
Camille and her crew showed me a very special side of Paris that was warm, open, diverse and teeming with creativity. When I landed in Paris, I could have never imagined I would be lucky enough to see this famously intimidating city through a local lens. Under their wing, Paris quickly became one of my favourite cities. I will always have endless gratitude for Camille and co for gifting me those experiences.
Now I am excited to share a dose of those times with this guide that she has so generously shared with us.
Real Guides: Paris, France by Camille de Cussac
To eat:
La Grande Mosquée de Paris - When the sun is up, this is a perfect place to have a mint tea, then a couscous, with a mint tea, then a rose loukoum, with a mint tea. After all that tea, full of energy, cross the street to discover the very cult Jardin des Plantes.
Chez Bertine - The best crêpes in town. Not just because it’s the mum of my friend Ben who is doing the crêpes, but because when you order one you received a special double crêpe. Open for lunch only.
Le Maquis - Delicious food and wine to share. There is a unique menu. Very nice, very delicious. Probably better to book in advance.
To drink:
Chez Prune - Nice little old-school bar in front of the Canal Saint Martin.
Le Carillon - Nice pretty big bar close to the Canal Saint Martin.
Tempête - Cool cocktails, cool food to share, in a cool street of cool kids. Fancy too.
To buy:
Herbatera - The best herbalist shop in Paris, not only because it is my sister-in-law’s shop, but also because my architect brother designed the shop. Yes, family matters here. Ask Mathilde to give you the best tisane you deserve, and stop and have a coffee for a little while.
Slow Galerie - Illustrations for all! Find your happiness with so many drawings of so many sizes, everyone can find their happiness.
Artazart - The coolest bookshop around the Canal Saint Martin, so many books and illustrations. Get lost there, find a little peace for a moment.
To stay:
I don’t really know about the hotels in Paris. But I will say that the most important criteria of an hotel is location, and the less important is breakfast, because you can find everything everywhere.
[Note from the editor: highly agree re breakfast. There is no reason to eat a hotel breakfast in Paris when most corners of the city feature a boulangerie with a croissant that will blow your mind.]
To see:
La Butte aux Cailles - 13e district
My favorite district, looks like a little village. Not too fancy, with real people, have a little walk around, see the cute little houses and enjoy the terraces and the drinks outside.
La Rue Daguerre - 14e district
Very cute food shopping street, where all neighbors are buying their baguette and Poulet du dimanche (Sunday’s chicken). Go there on a Sunday morning, enjoy a café in a terrasse, follow the sun, ask for a croissant or a pain au chocolat and observe the Parisians leaving, like an open theater, you won’t be disappointed.
[Note from the editor: I used to live off Rue Daguerre. It is an underrated area. As a photography nerd, I also enjoy the fact that it is named after Louis Daguerre (aka “the father of photography”) and man who invented the daguerreotype process. Unrelated to this, it is also home to a great burger & vinyl spot, Le Lock Groove.]
Le Jardin du Luxembourg - 6e district
Very beautiful garden. Grab a crepe and a café in front of Le Sénat, grab a chair, grab another chair and lay down, feet on the second chair, enjoy the sun, enjoy life. In French we say « Tout va bien »
