The Perfect Day in Paris, According to Jay Swanson

After more than a decade in Paris, over 2,000 YouTube videos, two memoirs and hundreds of hidden recommendations, Jay Swanson knows the city better than most. The French-American author, content creator and co-founder of Paris in My Pocket has built a loyal audience by showing a side of Paris that exists well beyond the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées – one filled with independent neighborhood cafés, canal-side strolls, quirky bookshops and the kind of places you’d never find in the usual social media recommendations.  

His latest memoir, Desert of the New, explores what it really takes to build a life in Paris, charting everything from bureaucracy and heartbreak to unexpected friendships and, eventually, finding home in the French capital. 

So, when we asked him how he’d spend one perfect summer day in Paris, we expected a handful of hidden gems. Instead, he mapped out an entire day – one that meanders through the city’s leafy northeast, pauses for more coffees than anyone strictly needs, and never once feels rushed. It’s the sort of itinerary that reminds you Paris is best experienced slowly. 

As Jay puts it: “If you’re coming to Paris and you just want to enjoy the city like a local and get off the beaten path… this’ll definitely do it for you.” 

8am: Coffee, pastries and Buttes-Chaumont

Forget queuing outside museums, Jay’s perfect day begins in the 19th arrondissement, where locals vastly outnumber tourists and mornings unfold at a far gentler pace. 

Start with a coffee from Mardi, just outside Jourdain Métro station, before picking up a pain au chocolat from nearby Milligramme bakery. Then carry both into Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, one of Paris’ most spectacular green spaces. 

“Take your coffee into the park,” Jay says. “Find one of the benches at the top and just sit looking out over the city.” 

With dramatic cliffs, suspension bridges, waterfalls and sweeping views over the rooftops, it’s an idyllic place to ease into the day. If you’re familiar with the work of Parisian street artist Invader, this neighborhood also happens to be dotted with his famous Space Invader mosaics – a treasure hunt Jay never tires of.

Mid-morning: Following the canal

From the park, wander downhill along Avenue de Laumière towards Canal de l’Ourcq, and admire the Rue de Crimée lift bridge – the last working bridge of its kind in Paris. It’s an easy walk, punctuated by waterside views and yet more hidden Space Invaders if you know where to look. 

Pause at Le Pavillon des Canaux, an old lock keeper’s house transformed into one of Paris’ most delightfully eccentric cafés. “It’s not the best coffee in the world,” Jay laughs, “but you’re going for the vibe.” Alternatively, continue a little further to Paname Brewing Company, whose floating terrace overlooking the canal earns his vote as “the single best terrace in the city.”

Lunchtime: Paris Plages, Boats and Bassin de la Villette

This is the part of Paris Jay wishes more visitors discovered. 

“No tourists even know this exists,” he says. 

Throughout the summer, the Bassin de la Villette comes alive for Paris Plages, with swimming areas, pétanque courts, concerts, watersports and pop-up cafés lining the water’s edge. Pack a swimsuit and spend an hour cooling off before lunch, or simply settle beside the canal and soak up the atmosphere. 

If you’re traveling with children, this is also the perfect excuse to continue northeast into Parc de la Villette, one of Paris’ best family-friendly parks. Jay included this in his Youtube guide to the best family activities in the city, packed with genuine recommendations from local parents, making it an ideal addition if little ones are in tow. 

Need a break from the city heat? Jay points to one of the city’s most unique experiences: the twin MK2 cinemas, split across either side of the Bassin de la Villette and connected by a free ferry that shuttles cinemagoers across the water. “It’s the same cinema in two buildings,” he explains. “And you can take a little boat between them.” Add blissful air conditioning into the mix and it’s a wonderful way to escape the midday sun. 

When hunger strikes, settle in at Le Bastringue, a classic canal-side bistro serving generous steak frites and French comfort food from its sunny terrace. If you’d rather stay on the water, hire an electric boat from AKWA and captain your own cruise along Canal de l’Ourcq – one of Jay’s favorite ways to spend a leisurely afternoon.

Afternoon: What is a trip to Paris without a souvenir?

As the afternoon drifts on, make your way towards Canal Saint-Martin, where independent businesses replace souvenir shops and every side street seems to hide another discovery. 

Browse the shelves at Artazart, one of Jay’s favorite bookshops, pick up playful gifts at Petit Souk, or make the slightly longer detour to Landline, an impeccably curated general store run by American expat Caroline. 

“It’s the place I’d send anyone looking for something really thoughtful to take home,” Jay says. 

Eventually, the inevitable fourth coffee of the day beckons. For warm hospitality, he recommends Café Margo, run by an Argentinian-Irish couple. “The hospitality is top notch,” he says. But if coffee itself is the priority, make a beeline for Perlant. 

“He’s an absolute coffee nerd, and her baking skills are off the charts.” Jay says of owners Emren and Kaylen. 

Perlant was one of just five cafés featured in Jay’s limited-edition Paris Passport, created alongside the launch of Desert of the New to encourage visitors to support some of his favorite independent businesses. 

If the afternoon calls for something colder, JJ Hings serves inventive glaces, ice cream sandwiches and floats that are well worth the detour for incredible flavors such as Sweet Corn, Wild Blueberry Compote, and Cornbread. 

Evening: Wine, pizza and neighbourhood favorites

As golden hour settles over the 11th arrondissement, it’s time for an apéritif. Jay recommends Le Cornichon, a laid-back former tabac just off Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud – a street he describes as the coolest in Paris. 

For dinner, there is little hesitation. 

“It’s the best pizza in the world,” he says of Oobatz. 

His advice? Gather a group of six, order one of every pizza and share slices around the table. And whatever you do, don’t leave without dessert. The crumble and now-famous pizookie – a warm chocolate chip cookie skillet crowned with vanilla ice cream – have become almost as legendary as the pizzas themselves.

If French cooking is more your style, Pano Pano offers beautifully executed seasonal dishes alongside an excellent wine list. 

Round off the evening with one final glass at L’Orillon, a neighborhood favorite known for its natural wines and regular chef pop-ups, before wandering to nearby Liquiderie Bar if you’re not quite ready to call it a night. 

The real Paris

Perhaps the biggest lesson from Jay’s perfect day isn’t a particular café or hidden street. It’s a completely different way of seeing the city. 

“The touristy stuff in Paris is all worth it,” he says. “But if you’re coming to Paris for the day and you want to enjoy the city like a local… just anchor yourself in one neighborhood. There’s so much good stuff.” 

Forget trying to conquer all of Paris in a single day. Order another coffee. Wander a little further than Google Maps suggests. Sit by the canal long enough to lose track of time. Because, as Jay proves, the real magic of Paris isn’t found by rushing between landmarks – it’s found in the discovery between. 

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