The sculpture Le Penseur (The Thinker, 1903) by French sculptor Auguste Rodin is pictured in the garden of the Musee Rodin in Paris, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015.Thibault Camus/The Associated Press
To attempt a definitive Paris guide is rather Herculean; there are standard stops that should be on every list (the Louvre, Tuileries and Luxembourg gardens, climbing the Eiffel Tower, nosing through antique markets, a picnic on the Seine etc.), and then there are the treasures (Laurent Dubois, Le Mary Celeste, Au Passage) and the new (Papillon), warranting equal attention. In no attempt to be comprehensive, based solely on highlights of a recent trip to the storied city, please accept my short list to consider.
Places to stay
The Ritz Paris (15 Place Vendôme) has always been revered, especially now, after an extensive four-year renovation completed in 2016. Even if staying elsewhere, partake in afternoon tea at the new, opulent Salon Proust.
Le Bristol (112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré) is still the grandest of dames, bedecked in a 19th-century limestone exterior, housing a Michelin-starred restaurant, and home to their Fashion Saturday events.
Fresh and spare, yet not lacking in style or charm, boutique gem Hôtel du Temps (11 Rue de Montholon) offers cool eclecticism.
Le Grand Pigalle Hôtel (29 Rue Victor Massé) is a standout of modern luxe, with bold geometric patterns balanced by seductive lighting and warm metals, while oversized pineapple door knockers add whimsy. Its top-floor rooms, tucked under the slanting eaves, boast oval windows with views of the highest points of Sacré-Cœur.
Places to eat and drink
Allard (41 Rue Saint-André des Arts) feels immediately welcoming, with intimate dining rooms wallpapered in florals that look especially delicate against sumptuous red-velvet banquettes.
The Alain Ducasse restaurant is a consistent favourite, with unwavering quality; its roast duck with olives is not to be missed. Mokonuts (5 Rue Saint-Bernard), a tiny, fuss-free, bakery-slash-café, brilliantly combining Franco-Lebanese and Japanese influences, is one of the reasons the 11th arrondissement is the best place to eat in Paris right now.
Though kitchen-less, bar à vin La Buvette (67 Rue Saint-Maur) nonetheless serves small, praise-worthy plates to go with uncommon natural wines. Owner Camille Fourmont does it all.
The famed Septime (80 Rue de Charonne) will require reservations weeks in advance, but its tasting menu is well worth the planning. For the more spontaneous, join the line at the tiny Septime Cave (3 Rue Basfroi).
Le Petit Keller's Kaori Endo fuses Japanese and French traditions for bright, invigorating food. The spot even offers bento boxes to go for the daytime crowd. Decidedly old-school Les Philosophes in Le Marais (28 Rue Vieille du Temple) puts forward noble, simple fare; head there for a sublime onion soup or rillettes. Meanwhile, Téléscope (5 Rue Villedo), is a vanguard of the third-wave coffee movement in the city.
Places to visit and shop
Musée Rodin (77 Rue de Varenne), refurbished in 2015, not only houses the sculptor's masterworks but also the largest collection of pieces by Camille Claudel, Rodin's student, muse and mistress.
As a pro tip, the secluded ornamental gardens behind the Hôtel Biron are a respite from a busy afternoon, with the city's skyline barely visible above the treetops. Pop into Merci (111 Boulevard Beaumarchais) for an eclectic, yet artfully curated collection of home goods and fashion. E. Dehillerin (18 Rue Coquillière) has sold kitchenware since 1820. Aptly named Nose (20 Rue Bachaumont) specializes in hard-to-find perfumes and cosmetics, with experts on hand to determine your signature scent. Jacques Genin (133 Rue de Turenne) is arguably the finest chocolatier in Paris. If a croissant is on your mind, then find the platonic ideal at Du Pain et des Idées (34 Rue Yves Toudic).
The Globe and Mail French River Cruise begins in Paris. For details visit tgam.ca/cruise.