What to Do in Paris – According to Qantas Frequent Flyers

The term flâneur, coined in Paris in the 19th century, applies to a person who strolls with no other purpose than to observe and absorb. Fittingly, our recent returnees from the City of Light found their favourite experiences involved aimless wandering, lingering at pavement cafés, people-watching in the Jardin du Luxembourg and getting lost in Parisian history at the Musée Carnavalet. Between sipping champagne on rooftops overlooking the city and shopping for treasures at the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, these Qantas travellers discovered that Paris is as much about moments as it is its monuments.

“I often recall a Paris vignette: friends picnicking, a man snoozing in the park, a group dancing by the Seine.” – Sophie Robert-Arsenault, Bronze Frequent Flyer

“I’m French-Canadian, so Paris was an easy choice for my first trip to Europe. I sipped champagne at Sequoia Rooftop Bar on my first night in the city, watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle in lights. I stayed in the 8th arrondissement at boutique Hôtel de La Boétie, where my little balcony had a very Parisian vibe. My plans centred on eating and drinking and included an Alain Ducasse dinner cruise along the Seine, dining at Septime – an unpretentious Michelin-starred bistro – and taking a day-trip to the Champagne region. But mostly, I embraced the French art of doing nothing, which involved drinking wine at a street-side café, wandering without plans and people-watching in the Jardin du Luxembourg gardens. A vignette from my Paris trip often plays in my mind: friends picnicking, a man snoozing in the park, a group dancing by the Seine. That’s the magic of Paris.”

Sophie flew Sydney to Paris via Perth

“I dedicated a day entirely to food, starting early at Marché Bastille and watching locals fill baskets with produce.” – Alison Piro, Silver Frequent Flyer

“I hadn’t been to Paris in 20 years, so when a Qantas Frequent Flyer Classic Reward seat became available, I grabbed it. Hotel Paris France in the Marais district was the ideal base for a solo traveller, all wrought-iron balconies and brass keys. I got lost in the revamped Musée Carnavalet, made new friends over dinner and was hilariously mistaken for a photographer during Paris Fashion Week. I dedicated a day entirely to food, starting early at Marché Bastille and watching locals fill baskets with produce. I queued at Chez Alain Miam Miam for the perfect sandwich and found tiny specialty stores in backstreets. Along the way, I picked up cherries, a crusty baguette and a sliver of terrine from Maison Vérot – a famous charcuterie established in 1930. A bottle of beaujolais completed my haul, which I enjoyed on my balcony, gazing out at Paris rooftops. Dreamy."

Alison flew Sydney to Paris via Perth

“We’ve developed deep ties to the village of Vignacourt since we first visited 15 years ago.” – Michael Fiechtner, Bronze Frequent Flyer

“Each April, my wife, Donna, and I fly to France and we did this most recently via the direct Qantas Perth-to-Paris flight for ANZAC commemorations on the Somme in northern France. We paused in the capital long enough to stay in our favourite hotel, the Relais Bosquet in the 7th arrondissement; wander Rue Cler’s specialty food shops; have a picnic of camembert and rosé under the Eiffel Tower; and shop for treasures at the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. Then we hopped in a rental car and headed for the village of Vignacourt, a 90 minute drive north of Paris.

“We’ve developed deep ties to the village of Vignacourt since we first visited 15 years ago, tracing Donna’s great-uncles – three Australian soldiers whose graves we located nearby. In 2010 an extraordinary discovery was made in the attic of a house off the main square, once home to Louis and Antoinette Thuillier: 4,000 glass photographic plates, 800 of them portraits of Australians from the First World War. At a time when cameras were rare, the Thuilliers created a makeshift photography studio at their property in Vignacourt to capture images of soldiers and locals alike.

“The barn where those photographs were taken is now home to the Vignacourt 14-18 museum, built to preserve the Thuillier Collection. But the house itself had fallen into disrepair and with no funds for its upkeep, the town planned to demolish it. At the Anzac Day ceremonies in 2023, we approached the mayor, urging him to reconsider. Days later, he handed us the keys – on the condition we restore the house.

“From next year, we’ll be living in Vignacourt full-time to turn the late-19th-century farmhouse into a six-room B&B so that visitors can stay on-site and discover not just the battlefields but also the beauty of northern France. Twenty-minutes south of Vignacourt is the city of Amiens, which has the largest cathedral in France – at 200,000-cubic-metres, you could fit Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral comfortably inside. It’s also worth driving 50-minutes east to the Bay of the Somme to see dramatic cliffs, beautiful little villages and magical winter Christmas markets.” 

Michael flew Brisbane to Paris via Perth

“My fiancé and I made the most of it, staying in a luxurious boutique hotel near the Tuileries Garden.” – Elizma Bolt, Platinum Frequent Flyer

“Paris was the last leg of our European holiday so my fiancé and I made the most of it, staying at Château Voltaire, a luxurious boutique hotel near the Tuileries Garden. The little things made it special: coffee to your door in the morning, fresh lemons in the minibar to go with your drinks. It was magical running along Rue de Rivoli each day, past The Louvre before the city woke up. The hotel’s proximity to famous luxury shopping mall, Les Galeries Lafayette, with its spectacular domed roof and stained glass windows, didn’t hurt either. We flew home nonstop Paris to Perth and the 17-hour flight didn’t feel long at all, especially with our points upgrade to Business.”

Elizma flew to Perth from Paris. 

“I found a little bistro in Saint-Germain and sat street-side for steak frites and people-watching.” - Luke Chittock, Platinum One Frequent Flyer

“Paris in the summertime is always a good idea. I walked 35,000 steps in one day, from the cobbled streets of the Marais district to the cafés in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, before stopping at the Hôtel National des Invalides – a 17th-century complex of military-themed museums and monuments, including Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb. I was in Paris on Bastille Day and, as a plane geek, it was thrilling to see French Air Force aircraft fly low over the Arc de Triomphe. Later, when it was still light, I found a little bistro in Saint-Germain called Les Editeurs and sat street-side for steak frites, crème brûlée and people-watching.”

Luke flew to Paris from Perth.

“My go-to restaurant is Septime in the hip 11th arrondissement.” - Hana Jo, Qantas magazine travel expert 

“I’ve been to Paris countless times and food is almost always the focus. Bonnie, a new rooftop hotspot at the SO/Paris hotel on the banks of the Seine, between the Marais and Bastille, is worth a visit for the 360-degree views of the city. My go-to restaurant, though, is Septime in the hip 11th arrondissement. It was recommended by a food-editor friend and I still recall the impeccable service of that first lunch. A couple of visits ago, I discovered Classique, a cocktail bar in Pigalle. What could be better than chilled Martinis and freshly shucked Breton oysters on a warm afternoon? Next visit, I’m booking the new 1920s-styled Le Grand Hôtel Cayré in Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Its restaurant, Annette, is a classic Parisian brasserie, and “hidden” bar Officine Bac serves rare spirits inside an old pharmaceutical dispensary.” 

Hana flew Sydney via Perth to Paris.

SEE ALSO: What to Do in London – According to Qantas Frequent Flyers