7th Arrondissement

Karl Lagerfield was a thoroughly modern polymath: A fashion designer, photographer, illustrator, collaborator, and…bookworm. 7L is the late Lagerfeld’s very well-situated (the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and Saint-Germain are all close by) shrine to design. The shelves stretch up the height of two floors and are heavy with books, which are stacked rather than lined up horizontally. After an hour or two spent rummaging for titles across interior and fashion design, photography, garden landscaping, and of course, tomes produced under 7L’s own imprint, collapse into the long sofa and start reading.

It’s appropriate that this beautiful, cozy yoga studio that focuses on patience and benevolence is in an old church.

Café culture is one of the many institutions that make Paris such a pleasure to visit. An hour spent sitting outside with a café au lait and a croissant watching the Parisians pass by is time well spent. Les Deux Magots in the heart of Saint-Germain has been one of the preferred literary and creative spots forever, with regulars including Picasso and Hemingway. The menu touches the greatest hits; the croque-madame is especially good, but honestly, a coffee or—hell, you’re on vacation—a glass of champagne outside under the canopy is the way to go.

La Petit Lutetia has become a favorite ever since it was taken over and face-lifted by Jean-Louis Costes, the man behind city institutions Hôtel Costes and La Société. The décor is still that of a classic Paris bistro, with charming mirrored walls, monogrammed dishes, haphazard stacks of newspapers, and too-small tables. While the food is certainly good, you're here for the people-watching, an endless parade of beautifully outfitted Parisians ducking out for cigarettes between courses and drinking seemingly endless glasses of red wine like water. Photo credit: @parisinfourmonths

In a city filled with good, classic restaurants, it's hard to narrow it down to a few favorites, but Le Fontaine de Mars is one of those old-world bistros that constantly draws you back in. Once inside, no one would blame you for thinking that nothing has changed in a hundred years—and maybe it hasn't: Pink tablecloths, mirrored walls, and retro floor tiles abound. Keep your order to the tried-and-true classics, good steak-frites or coq au vin with a large glass of red is the way to go here.

We'd happily accept any arrangement from this top-notch florist, which has convenient locations on both banks, in the 3rd and 7th arrondissements.

With flowers spilling out the doors and onto the sidewalk at this charming corner shop in Montmartre, Adriane M is the stuff of a Parisian fantasy. Because they work for a spectrum of clients from hotels to private homes to delivery, they're versed on a variety of styles from the long-stemmed and modern to the more seasonal, romantic arrangements you might expect for a bouquet. Many of their customers are so loyal they've opted for a delivery subscription—even daily delivery is available here.

With a prestigious address and a business dating back to the 1870's, Henri Moulie and his son Julien sustain quite an operation, catering to some of the most important addresses and splashiest events in Paris while sourcing many of their blooms from their own flower farm in Brittany. Theirs are the grand arrangements you might find at local embassies, hotels, and government offices, though that certainly doesn't stop them from creating smaller, though no less exquisite formal arrangements for delivery.

Now three locations strong (a brand-new outpost just popped up in Courcelles), Sentou has built their business up over 60 years by distributing some of the biggest names in design, including Alvar Aalto, Eames and Vitra. They're not solely fixated on the past, either: You'll find a healthy mix from soon-to-be-institutions like HAY and Muuto, along with their own line.

Clean-lined, cloth-wrapped photo albums and journals in every conceivable shade are mainstays from this Swedish company: For those who love the promise of an ordered, color-coordinated office—or just want to get their family pics all in one place—this is a useful resource.