There is this long-standing myth that Paris is a non-anglophone city. I must admit the myth is based upon a lot of historical truth and may have to do with the city’s rivalry with the concept of anything foreign to its uniqueness.
I do feel however that things have changed in the past years and that more and more places are not only welcoming but openly inviting to English-speaking folk. More café waiters will happily crack a joke at their own city’s expense in a broken but well-intentioned English.
That being said, it can be hard to figure out where to go when one speaks not a word of French and still wishes to make the most of their Parisian time. Here are a few addresses and/or activities that should reconcile the English language with the city of Paris.
Bookshop tour
Whenever I am away from home, I find that bookshops are like little havens in which to find comfort and welcoming paper arms.
Paris has its fair share of nice English language bookshops, and I have selected three which deserve a visit:
The infamous rickety shop of Shakespeare and Company, facing the recently re-opened Notre Dame and its adjoining café. Smith&Son, the largest bookstore of its kind in the city and finally, the Librairie Galignani on the Rue de Rivoli with its incredible collection of arts and fashion books from around the world.
Whichever you visit, you are sure to find something to soothe a homesick heart.
No Diet Club tour
One of my very favourite ways of discovering a culture, a country or a city is to try the food that is on offer there. And allow me to be slightly chauvinistic when I declare that Paris has some of the world’s best cuisine.
The team behind the No Diet Clubs are food afficionados who have created a wealth of different food tours which take you around the city through various food pit stops. You can take neighbourhood specific tours like the ones in Montmartre or le Marais or focus on a certain type of cuisine like the Hong Kong food tour or the sweet things tour.
In each one not only will you taste delicious delicacies, but you’ll also learn a lot about the city.
Cimetière du Père-Lachaise
To some, it may appear odd for a walk through a graveyard to be considered entertainment. The mystical, powerful historical weight of the Père-Lachaise however cannot be denied and pacing its alleys going from famous musicians’ mausoleums to writers’ and artists’ is an inspiring walk-through history. Visit Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Isadora Duncan and Proust amongst other stars of their time.
Performing arts
The Parisian scene is truly reeling with entertainment of all genres. An evening at the Folies Bergères to see a true cabaret style Parisian show (our latest recommendation being the dazzling “Fantasma circus erotica”) is never an evening lost.
The Opera Ganier not only offers one of the most grandiose settings to spend a night, it also offers ballets and operas in English and many other languages. The Cirque Gruss and the Cirque d’Hiver will have fans of all circus arts and acrobatics giddy.
For more English specific shows, I would recommend checking out the news from French British comedians such as Tatty McLeod or Paul Taylor. Their sets are delicious dissections of what it feels like to speak both languages and live across countries as different as Britain, France and even America.
Certain institutions offer site specific events like the Irish Cultural Centre where Irish films and musicians are often playing. All in all, there is always the chance to catch a performance that will suit everyone’s taste.
Author’s note: This post has not included more obvious options like the national museums and art galleries which stand at every corner of Parisian streets and always include English maps, explanations and monographies.
Zoé Manset
Zoe Manset is a French actress, writer and producer based in London, UK. After growing up in the Fragrant Harbour otherwise known as Hong Kong, Zoe moved to London in 2018 to pursue a BA in Art History at the Courtauld Institute of Arts. Missing the stage too much, she then completed a two year MFA in drama school and is now living the freelance actor life at full speed. Zoe is a fashion history lover, a great pub amateur, a dancer and a big foodie!
