Beckoning as a homeland to incredible food, world-class wine, iconic cultural landmarks, and infused with a bohemian spirit, Paris is the epitome of a tourist mecca. Home to over 140 museums and 30,000 bakeries, you’ve got so many alluring visitor experiences to weigh up than you can poke a baguette at.  

Taking top-billing on my latest visit to the irrepressible French capital was a jaunt to the freshly restored Notre-Dame Cathedral. A place of worship that has been open to all, free of charge for 860 years, the revered religious beacon is looking resplendent after the horrors of the devastating 2019 fire. A wallet-waving spectacle financially powered by French luxury goods billionaires who raced to outdo each other, stumped up NZ$1.5 billion within days of the blaze. Over a billion dollars has been spent renovating France’s most famous church in a five-year-long tour de force, with many milestones still being celebrated (the church has a very hefty surplus for its long-term maintenance kitty). 

Interior splendour of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Photo / Mike Yardley 

Just a fortnight ago, the first post-fire wedding was held in the cathedral, which suitably saw a carpenter who helped rebuild the landmark tie the knot. As my guide remarked, as I gazed at the buttery limestone grandeur of this hallowed landmark, “this is the closest thing to time travel.” Eight hundred years of grime and soot from burning candles has been removed from its interior, peeling back the layers to gloriously reveal its original creamy stone lustre. The sublime stained-glass windows, also covered in a sooty patina, haven’t looked so vivid for generations.  

The herculean project saw 2,000 oak trees gathered from forests across France, hewn into beams with axes and pegged into great trusses by hand using medieval tools. Over a thousand cubic metres of limestone was hauled into place, chiselled into leaping arches and grinning gargoyles. 4,000 square metres of lead was rolled, crimped and moulded into ornamental roofing. The restoration project was a bonanza for revitalising traditional specialist craftsmanship. It truly is a sight to behold. Since reopening last December, over 15 million people have poured through its doors and the entrance queues can billow. Head there at the very start of your day and you’ll be straight in. I headed there for 8am mass, which is a 30 minute long express service. But savouring this building in the morning crowd-free calm is all the more rewarding. 

Notre-Dame Cathedral. Photo / Supplied

Strolling the Seine, I then ventured on foot past a parade of Parisian landmarks, from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, as autumn’s fiery hues torched the riverside plane trees. A great way to bundle together a swag of epic attractions and activities at the one low price is to order up a Go City Pass. With over 100 attractions, excursions, tours and experiences on offer, there’s a variety of pass options to choose from, to suit your schedule. I plumped for the Go City Explorer Pass is ideal for flexible sightseeing. gocity.com 

Adding to the appeal of my explorer pass, Go City encompasses a spree of hospitality experiences. Settle in for a lazy brunch or late lunch at traditional brasserie, Au Vieux Châtelet. It is everything you want in a traditional French brasserie: think cosy wood interiors, ornate trimmings and classic home cooking done right. I opted for a national classic, croque monsieur – a toasted sandwich with molten gruyère cheese, smoked ham and Dijon mustard, topped with a buttery béchamel sauce. This mainstay has been on the menu for decades. Gruyère is the essential element to a cranking croque monsieur because it melts smoothly and evenly, delivering that gooey and stretchy consistency. Alternatively, for a bit of extra indulgence, go for a croque madame (very similar, but with a fried egg to crown the dish). Pair that with a cassis-flavoured kir royale Champagne cocktail, and life is good! 

Just off the Champs Elysées at the Arc de Triomphe end, armed with my Go City Explorer Pass, I popped into Bistro Marbeuf for another signature snack – French Crepes. This elegant wood-panelled bistro is the ideal spot to savour this traditional sweet snack in the heart of Paris. You can choose from various flavours, but after much testing, my preferences would be butter and sugar, or banana or chocolate. The crepes are accompanied with orange juice and coffee. The perfect mid-morning pick-me-up.  

Classic crepes at Bistro Marbeuf. Photo / Mike Yardley 

For added indulgence, just around the corner, pop into Ladurée’s flagship venue on the Champs-Élysées. Its pastel-toned décor mimics the hues of its celebrated macarons. The boutique, patisserie and dessert bar is a calorific carnival of colour and exquisite food art. Inspiring many discerning foodies on a trip to Paris is Ladurée’s pastry workshops, headlined by their emblematic creations. You need to book well in advance for their classes, which run for nearly three hours!  

For a change of scenery, I headed up to the beloved hillside neighbourhood of Montmartre, crowned with the bulbous creamy dome of Sacré-Coeur Basilica. With its steep, winding, cobbled streets and unmistakable village vibe, Montmartre is a distinctively different pocket of Paris. Place du Tertre is the beating heart of Montmartre. Artists and painters have peddled their wares in this square for centuries. Busloads of tourists have changed the atmosphere, but if you come off-season—when the air is crisp and the streets are bare—you can almost feel what it was like when up-and-coming Picassos and Renoirs lived in the houses that today are consumed by souvenir shops and cafés.  

Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Photo / Mike Yardley 

This quintessentially Parisian square is also where you will find La Mere Catherine, one of the oldest Paris restaurants still in operation, founded in 1793, when the monarchy was overthrown and Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were guillotined. Embraced by the Go City pass, I reflected on that red-letter year as I tucked into a quintessential three-course meal, headlined by free-range chicken, fries and salad. Feeling intrepid, for my appetiser, I ordered up the Burgundy snails. Forking them out of their shells, these pint-sized gastropods resembled curled-up mushrooms – and tasted not unlike squishy fungi. No, I’m not sold on them, but I have finally lost my ooh-la-la French mollusc virginity. A sweet and happy ending awaited, as I devoured a knock-out dessert - fudge chocolate cake with custard cream.  

Where to stay? Book-ended by the Palais Royal and the Louvre, Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal has one of the most prestigious addresses in Paris, right in the heart of the stylish first arrondissement. Enter through the majestic limestone façade and you’ll be in a sophisticated haven infused with designer style, from its black marble reception and busts of French writers to cozy boutiques and sexy dark lounges with walls wrapped in abstract artwork. The rooms are refined, the restaurant exquisite and the service polished.  

Grand Hotel du Palais Royal. Photo / Supplied

After enduring a 28 hour trek from New Zealand, and arriving into Paris as the city woke up, the delightful hotel receptionist generously offered me a cup of coffee and early access to the spa, so I could shower, change and freshen up to greet France. Just across the street from the imperial Jardin du Palais Royal, this is where Emily Cooper would frequently lunch in the Netflix hit series Emily in Paris. Throughout the hotel, vivid green accents and fresh plants bring a sense of those royal gardens indoors.  

With 59 rooms and suites the hotel feels unmistakeably intimate, homely and bougie. My gorgeous suite overlooked Place de Valois, cast as the location of Emily Cooper’s office, in Emily in Paris. My suite featured oak parquet floors, silk curtains, rustic arched shutters, retro carpets, a cream brushed cotton sofa with Jacobean floral cushions, mesh leather chairs, a cloud-comfortable king-sized bed with two flat-screen TVs, a Nespresso machine, and fully stocked minibar.  

Grand Hotel du Palais Royal accommodation. Photo / Supplied

The Venetian marble bathroom was sumptuous, complete with soaking tub, walk-in rain marble shower, nickel mirror lamps, Diptyque products, and fluffy bathrobes & slippers. The hotel’s Le Café 52 is another divine and art-filled space, with mirrored walls, steel blue tables, rattan chairs, linen sofas and blown-glass vases. The buffet breakfast offering will have you bouncing out of bed, whether it’s the smoked salmon avocado toast, the fresh croissants and pain au chocolat, or homemade detox juices. 

Grand Hotel du Palais Royal is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. There are 650 boutique hotels and resorts in the SLH collection, spanning over 90 countries. Enjoy exclusive rates by joining the SLH Club and savour independently spirited and unforgettable luxury hotel experiences. slh.com 

I flew to Paris with Qatar Airways, recently crowned the 2025 World’s Best Airline by Skytrax, scooping the supreme honours for the ninth consecutive year. Qatar Airways flies non-stop between Doha and Auckland daily, with onward connections to 170 destinations. Experience an unrivalled standard of Business Class in your very own personal suite with privacy doors. QSuite is available on the daily Auckland service, delivering first-class luxury to the Business Class cabin, including double lie-flat beds. I flew in Economy and you’ll notice the difference with one of the widest seats in the industry, complete with adjustable headrests. Lap up generous dining, complimentary Wi-Fi and over 8000 on-demand entertainment offerings in the Oryx One system. For best fares and seats to suit, qatarairways.com 

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.