Paris Profiles – 7th Arrondissement with Landen Kerr

The 7th arrondissement in Paris is interesting. Given the large number of mainstream tourist attractions in the 7eme, it is unlikely you would visit Paris without spending some time in this historic neighborhood, but I would guess that not too many people spend time getting to know it beyond its famous sites.

Truth be told, I was one of them. However, a few years ago Mr. Misadventures and I stayed at the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel, which is actually in the 15th arrondissement, but right n the border of the 7th and we spent several days eating and exploring the 7th before moving on to the Opéra. It was Christmas time and it was lovely.

I can see the appeal. And so did Landen Kerr who first came to Paris for a semester abroad program, fell in love, and came back permanently! She has a blog where she writes about her life in Paris – the good and the bad and recently launched an online antique shop – if you can't get to Paris – you might buy a piece of it from Landen!

Let's meet Landen's 7th arrondissement!

Favorite thing about the 7th arrondissement.

I really love the feel of the Left Bank and knew that’s where I wanted to live. I landed in the 7th arrondissement because of its central location in Paris. I can walk just about anywhere in the city within an hour, and there are tons of public transportation options as well.

Least favorite thing about the 7th arrondissement.

It’s hard to find a least favorite thing about the 7th arrondissement. During the past year with restaurants being closed due to The Queen, I’ve found myself wishing there were more casual “street food” type restaurants where it was easy to get something to-go. Otherwise, I have no complaints!

What differentiates your arrondissement from all the other parts of the city?

The 7th arrondissement is a bigger arrondissement filled with so much beauty and diverse options for activities. There are so many “big things” to do and see whether it’s the Tour Eiffel, Les Invalides, Musée Rodin, or Musée d’Orsay. At the same time, it also has such a small neighborhood feeling.

Favorite coffee spot in your neighborhood.

It’s hard to beat a café with a great terrasse. Two of my neighborhood favorites are Le Saint Germain and Les Antiquaires. I also love going to Saint Pearl, it has such an inviting atmosphere.

Favorite spot for drinks.

Hands down Le Voltaire. A lot of people might not think of it as a place to get a drink in Paris, but their cocktails are awesome (especially the margarita), and you can’t beat sitting outside with a view of the Louvre. I find that a lot of the time drinks turn into dinner because it’s so much fun and the people at Le Voltaire are some of the kindest in Paris.

Favorite local hangout.

If I’m not on a café terrasse I usually like to sit along the banks of the Seine. I love being by the water. When you’re sitting next to the river it’s almost as if the world around you doesn’t exist. Sometimes I’ll bring a book to read, but more often than not I just like to sit and watch the world go by.

Favorite breakfast spot.

I’ve definitely adopted the French breakfast mentality. I like to have a Sunday morning espresso and a croissant “au bar” at Le Saint Germain. They get their croissants from a boulangerie down the street so they’re very good – lots of flaky layers. It’s one of my favorite rituals and a leisurely way to start the day.

Favorite lunch spot.

It’s hard to beat lunch at Café Varenne. It’s a very typical Parisian café with a zinc bar, tiled floors, gorgeous wood, and waiters dressed in black and white. The food is excellent and all homemade. The menu changes based on the season and they always have daily specials. My favorites are the onion soup which comes with a bowl of cheese on the side and the confit de canard.

Favorite dinner spot.

For delicious French classics, I like Bistrot de Paris. My usual order is steak with béarnaise sauce, a side of buttery mashed potatoes, and I always finish the meal with the sinfully decadent profiteroles. It’s old-school Paris in the best way, it really feels like traveling through time.

One thing you always do/spot you always take friends from out of town to do/see.

I always take people to shop for food because it’s very different from what they’re used to at home. We’ll either go to the Marché Raspail for a French market experience or along Rue du Bac where we stop at the flower shop, butcher, fishmonger, fruits and vegetable shop, cheese shop, and of course boulangerie!

Merci, Landen!

Here are other great spots in the 7th arrondissement that I have curated for you:

Fin!

You can connect with Landen on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, and of course on her blog or her online store, La Porte Bonheur.

How about you? Do you have any 7th arrondissement additions? Have you been to this area of Paris? Did you find this post helpful for a future trip?

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