Countdown: Our Top-Rated Food & Wine Experiences In Paris

Visitors on a food & wine tour of the Marais

In Paris, food and wine are the cornerstones of la belle vie. So naturally there is a plethora of walking tours, tastings, and cooking classes with a focus on French food or wine or both. Here we present our selection of the best food activities that have been impressing travelers seeking a taste of the culinary culture of France. Ready for the countdown?

10. Learn to Make Croissants with a Pastry Chef

Sure — you can eat croissants and pain au chocolat during your trip to Paris. But instead, why not learn how to bake them yourself? That's what happens in this hands-on, small-group pastry class. Meet your chef/instructor in the professional kitchen to, then roll up your sleeves to learn the step-by-step secrets to making these iconic French pastries.

9. Wine Tasting Lunch

Instead of just tasting wine, pair your wine with cheese, charcuterie, and bread from a prize-winning Parisian boulangerie. It takes place in a lovely wine bar near the Louvre where things kick off at noon. While you are tasting and being introduced to five regional wines of France, you are also sampling artisanal cheese from a master fromager. You learn which cheeses go with which wines and why that is the case. Similarly you taste charcuterie from southwestern France and from Corsica, paring those with red wines.

8. Dinner Cruise by Maxim's of Paris

We think you will love this new evening dinner cruise that joins the Seine River with Maxim's of Paris, the Belle Époque bistro that debuted at the 1900 Paris Exposition. On this evening cruise you'll dine on a decadent 3-course classic French dinner made famous at the historic bistro as you admire the lights of the city.

With VIP treatment, including guaranteed window seating for the best views, you'll be immersed in an unforgettable romantic atmosphere. Opt for the two-hour option for an 8 pm sailing.

7. Tasting the Wine Regions of France

To be in Paris is to be in the center of the best of fine French wine. Wine is a foundation of the French food culture and being in Paris gives you a great chance to learn more about it. And so it makes sense that, completing the trinity of the most popular food activities, is this wine and champagne tasting.

It's the top-rated wine tasting class in Paris — led by knowledgable, friendly sommeliers. It takes you across the wine map of France and lets you taste some of the best of the country. This tasting take place in a wine bar in the center of things, right near the Louvre.

6. Learn to Make Macarons in Paris

At a charming cooking school in Paris, learn the secrets of making perfect macarons from Chef Noemie. The colorful, ganache-filled treats are the rage in Paris and around the world. The small group size ensures an intimate experience and full attention from your chef. Before you leave you will be loaded with a box of your very own creations to share with your friends and family — or eat by yourself!

5. Chocolate & Pastry Tour of Saint-Germain

This is one of the most popular food activities in the City of Food, and no wonder — it's a walking tour through historic streets of Paris that combines your passion for Paris with your love of chocolate and fabulous French pastries.

Spend a fun afternoon tasting your way through the best Parisian chocolate shops, patisseries and boulangeries. The tour is limited to 8 people so you can expect individual attention from your guide and from the shops themselves. A Parisian food expert leads you through lovely Saint-Germain-des-Prês as you learn how to choose the best chocolates and pastries. Sampling is required — no hardship there !

4. A Taste of Montmartre Food & Wine Tour

Montmartre, the quartier on the hill is famous for its cobblestone streets, café and terraces, and also for the bohemian crowd who once lived here. Today, it's also famous for its food shops. Join a food-expert guide for a walking tour of the historic district to taste some of the best of French cuisine — cheeses, charcuterie, pastries, and chocolate paired with French wine.

3. Cheese and Wine Tasting in a Paris Cheese Cellar

At a fromagerie in the Marais you meet the shop's master affineur (an expert in the art of cheese aging) to learn about the cheese of France, how they are made, and how they are aged to perfection. With the affineur you descend into the underground cave to learn about the maturing cheeses.

In the large aging room you are introduced to Beaufort (a raw cow's milk cheese produced in the French Alps), Etivaz (a hard, raw cow's milk cheese made in the Swiss Alps), and five other cheeses. You learn the history, traditions, and techniques of French cheese production, sampling at every stage. Each cheese is paired with a French wine.

2. Discover the Food & Wine of the Marais

Wander the ancient streets of everyone's favorite Paris quartier with an expert food guide to visit some of the most fantastic food shops in the city. This tour takes you deep into the Marais as you visit (and sample at) a boulangerie, wine shop, epicerie, chocolatier, and more. This is a small-group tour to ensure you get individual attention (and plenty of samples!).

The food-filled three-and-a-half-hour tour starts off at the oldest market in Paris, Le Marché des Enfants Rouges. Morning tours start at 11:30 (so you can sleep in) and evening tours at 5 PM.

1. Romantic Seine River Dinner Cruise

It's no wonder this multi-faceted nighttime activity is the number-one food related activity. It combines cruising along the river while dining on a gourmet meal and listening to live music. You'll find that everything in Paris looks better from a bateau at night. Famous landmarks will pass by as you enjoy a multi-course French meal with wine. You'll want to choose the Service Premier option. We know, we know: it's more expensive! But it gives you the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.