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I Can’t say that Paris It used to make me very uncomfortable. After three visits, I still have no clue about the appeal of the City of Lights. Ten years ago, the third trip was a joyless makeshift disaster filled with surly waiters and wild crowds, and on the third day I learned that return tickets were for car passengers only, and they (the driver) decided to stay and watch a rugby match. We don’t talk anymore.
Paris has always felt like a giant museum—well-preserved, stagnant, no sense of vitality …but the pancakes are good.
Never one to rest on third impressions, when I heard about We Love Green early last year, I thought it was an opportunity to reevaluate. Held in Bois St Vincennes (the city’s largest park) in the 12th arrondissement (the arrondissements into which the city is divided within “Le Périph”), the festival features local performers and, in 2026, performances by singers such as Gorillaz, The XX, Hayley Williams and Little Simz. However, its unique selling point is the food: vegetarian The only one. Every year, a committee of French food experts come together to hand-select each stall. This was my “opportunity”—a chance to meet people who would give me a window into the world. Alternative Paris This might change my opinion.
First of all, traveling with Eurostar is fantastic, from one city center to another, eco-friendly and enhanced St. Pancras autograph’s “suite-to-seat” service (the clue is in the name), got me out the door of the hotel and on the train in record time. Then Gare Du Nord heads to Pullman Tour Eiffel (The clue is in the name) The views from the hotel, bedrooms and restaurants are so close to the landmark Gustave Eiffel Tower that you only have to crane your neck to see the tip. So far, so traditional…but that’s about it.
For some vicarious practice, on the morning of the festival I headed to Montmartre, purposely avoiding the Sacre Coeur, where the crowds were so dense you could barely see the many steps, and the crowded Moulin Rouge. Instead, I typed four magic words into my phone: “record stores near me.” Even if you’re not a vinyl hoarder, these words will lead you to the culturally thriving parts of town – Non-tourist cafesmall performances, artisan shops. This time it led me along the picturesque cobbled back streets of Montmartre, past the famous Elevated View, to beans on fire. Okay, okay, just opposite the greengrocer’s shop Ameliebut even though that was an independent film… we’ve made some progress. The barista there recommended a place called Ground Control, which turned out to be very close to We Love Green.
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The 150,000-capacity festival has an atmosphere reminiscent of All Points East or Latitude – a fun, colorful, relaxed atmosphere that lasts until Charli XCX takes the stage in the evening. The food here almost grabs the headlines, with the star being the Burger D’Amour, a mushroom-based offering that always has a queue of 50 people. I slipped to the back and found its owner, Valentine Davas, who runs the catering company Le Réfectoire Traiteur. “We’ve been here eleven years,” she told me. “Yesterday, we made five thousand burgers in five hours.” She recommends Le Marche Saint Martin in the 10th arrondissement on the right bank of the Seine as her favorite spot, with its gourmet stalls, cool bars and restaurants.
A few stalls ago, Tariq and Laila pointed me in a different direction; Suad’s kitchenserving delicious vegetarian and organic Moroccan cuisine. They took me to Belleville, a neighborhood straddling the 19th and 20th arrondissements, where they happened to have just opened their first restaurant. I’m adding it to my ever-growing list.
The next day I put my record store skills to use and stumbled upon Major Tom’s which, unsurprisingly, happens to be part of the aforementioned Ground Control Centre, a “weird cultural third place” that reoccupies a bustling industrial building and serves street food and gourmet food. high quality Shopping with a real emphasis on community. It’s very charming and very different from the Belle Epoque.
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I’m running out of space now, because I’ve found a clue: follow ideas, wrong shapes, and trailblazers, and you’ll get an incredibly different urban experience. This was proven once again with a guided tour of the Saint-Ouan Flea Market, where jazz singer Ehran led me through the maze of vintage, antique and thrifty graffiti in this massive market’s visual feast, or where the Left Bank artisan shops offering cheese, chocolate and caviar were a part of my life. Eat Europe Touring… I foolishly visited the Musée d’Orsay that morning and nearly had a panic attack over a Van Gogh in a room full of people, I needed food. That will teach me.
I turned to another option and took the metro to Belleville. It feels like London’s Shoreditch or Manchester’s North End, with a fin de siècle feel – colorfully graffitied cafes and boutiques full of youthful energy. I passed Tariq’s restaurant (he must have been taking a break from We Love Green) and headed to the recommended Belvédère de Belleville – one of the city’s highest viewpoints. In this picturesque park with an industrial edge, couples sunbathe on picnic blankets, wine and bread in hand. In a seemingly abandoned open-air pavilion, the panoramic view of Paris spread out before me, with broken mosaic tiles guiding my view: Pompidou, Notre Dame, Montparnasse Tower… all at a safe distance, and I entered it and managed to find a vibrant, friendly and delicious Paris that changed my mind dramatically.
I guess fourth time is lucky.
Matt’s trip to Paris is supported by We Love Green, Eurostar, GoCity, Marriott and AccorHotels.
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