4th Arrondissement

Offered in a traditional hammam setting that will lull you to sleep, the Thai-style massages here are the best in the city. The private rooms come complete with showers, and a candle-lit Jacuzzi. There's an additional location in the 16th.

Still sporting its original décor from 1903, the horseshoe-shaped bar beckons for a coffee, a kir (white wine and crème de cassis), or a quick meal. While there's a full restaurant in the back, it lacks the prime people-watching you'll get up front.

The farm behind this mini-chainlet is located in the Loire valley, where they make a range of unpasteurized cheeses, butters, yogurts, and crème fraîches from scratch—while aging the cheeses of area farmers. The demi-sel croquant unpasteurized butter is crazy delicious, and portable, as they're happy to vacuum pack it for the plane.

You could spend hours in this exotic shop, where the walls are lined with imported spices and other ingredients and large sacks filled with lentils, rice, and other staples dot the floor. Owned and operated by the same couple for many years, it’s become somewhat of an institution. Photograph by Marshall Segal

This postmodern building revolutionized the world of architecture—and turned the rarified concept of a museum into something that could be unintimidating and fun. Designed by Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, and Gianfrancho Franchini, the Centre Pompidou is marked by an exterior lined with colorful tubes that hold the center's plumbing, electric, and circulation systems—inside, it's just as interactive. Home to a public library, a center for music and acoustic research, and the Musee National d’Art Moderne, since its inception in 1977 some of the most important modern art in the world has graced its walls, including pieces from Dali, Pollock, Warhol, and Picasso.

Even though it occupies a 16th-century cellar beneath the Marquis de Sade’s house, the offerings here are thoroughly child-friendly: The museum showcases antique wands and hats, optical illusions, contraptions, and loads of gorgeously rendered posters and prints. And if you have a little one who loves magic, they do a show (in French) that will totally appeal.

Tucked away in the Marais, this little art gallery is dedicated to illustrations (both antique and contemporary) along with storytelling for babies and kids up to 13. The exhibitions change every three months, and they pepper the offerings with workshops and outings.

Even though it occupies a 16th-century cellar beneath the Marquis de Sade’s house, the offerings here are thoroughly child-friendly: The museum showcases antique wands and hats, optical illusions, contraptions, and loads of gorgeously rendered posters and prints. And if you have a little one who loves magic, they do a show (in French) that will totally appeal.

Tucked away in the Marais, this little art gallery is dedicated to illustrations (both antique and contemporary) along with storytelling for babies and kids up to 13. The exhibitions change every three months, and they pepper the offerings with workshops and outings.

This shop literally spans a block—and what feels like a big block. Inside, you'll find every iteration of every modern home trend, which can overwhelm, but if you can take the time to really look, you'll find tons to lug home. Kaleido trays by Hay, pretty jewelry boxes, and graphic Ferm Living plates are just a few of the highlights.