Our Guide To The Top Food & Wine Activities In The City Of Food

We heartily recommend tours, classes & tastings that get you into the heart of the culinary culture. Paris food and wines are key elements of French life. In fact, we believe that you won't really know Paris until you know its food. Fortunately, that's easy to do, even as a visitor. Put aside a couple of mornings or afternoons while you are in Paris to explore the food culture of the city by booking a couple of food or wine activities.

Here we present a delicious selection of cooking classes, gourmet tours, market walks, and wine & cheese tastings. We've spent years exploring the Paris food culture and it's given us some of our best times in the City of Food.

The Top 10 Food & Wine Experiences In Paris

As we said, food & wine are a big part of life for Parisians and visitors alike. And what better place than Paris to learn more about French culinary culture? There are a lot of food-related activities to choose from when you're here, and we've made it easy to decide with our list of the top ten food activities in Paris.

Take a chocolate & pastry walking tour through the Marais or Saint-Germain. Learn the secrets of making macarons. Or, our personal favorite, a wine and champagne tasting near the Louvre, led by a Master Sommelier.

The Top 6 Seine River Dinner Cruises

Paris and its river are even more lovely at night, when everything is alight for your enjoyment. That's why we love to take a dinner cruise along the Seine. It's romantic, it's delicious, it shows off the city at its best. Spend three hours over three or four or five courses with wine and champagne.

One of our favorites also turns out to be our readers' most highly rated — an unforgettable dinner cruise along the Seine that includes VIP seating, champagne, and transportation to and from your hotel (in a car, not a boat!)

Paris Chocolate & Pastry Tours

There are hundreds of artisanal chocolate shops found throughout the city. In Paris, chocolate is an art form, as well as a major food group ! We predict that you'll be astounded by the mixture of ingredients and by the clever shapes of chocolate created by the Parisian masters. And, of course, you'll revel in amazing, rich flavors.

It's easy to join a tour that gets you inside the best of their shops, sampling and learning all about chocolate. Our highest recommendation is a very popular chocolate and pastry walking tour.

Cooking Classes

Food tours are great, but one of the best — and most fun — ways of getting into the food culture of Paris is to sign up for a cooking class while you're in the City of Food. A half day spent at a casual cooking school will be a memorable experience that will enhance your visit — and will inspire you to make classic French dishes at home. Did you know you can even take a one day cooking class in the kitchens of the Ritz Hotel?

Paris Wine Tastings

Paris, of course, is also famous for its wide selection French wine & champagne — the city is awash in the stuff. Being in Paris is the perfect time to learn about the country's offerings, and also learn how to taste wines under the guidance of an expert sommelier.

Wine tastings and tours to the Champagne region also teach you how to pair wine with food, decipher wine labels, and become a connoisseur. We'll share our picks of the best wine tastings Paris has to offer. Book a tasting and raise a glass (or two or three) during your time in the city.

Delicious Cheese Tours

Cheese may be the epitome of Paris food. France produces something like 1,000 types of cheese, and all of them can be found in Paris. Learn more (and sample lots!) by joining a cheese tasting workshop or a cheese walking tour during your visit. Check out the offerings on our cheese platter!

Lunch in Paris

We love to take a break in the middle of a day of Paris sightseeing to "do" lunch. After all, Paris has got to be the best place to have lunch, right? But, we have a few suggestions to make it a little more special — like lunching on the Eiffel Tower or during a cruise down the River Seine. Let's take a look…

The Top Chocolatiers in Paris

In Paris, chocolate is afforded the same kind of interest and respect as wine and cheeses. It's a gourmet speciality with a cadre of expert chocolatiers who have shops throughout the city. Let's go on a virtual tour of five of the most interesting — and most delicious — chocolate shops in the city.

Good Champagne Stops In Paris

One of our favorite hobbies in Paris is to discover new settings to enjoy a glass of good champagne. And that's not hard to do since champagne is served everywhere — bars, bistros, parks, rooftops, and even on top of the Eiffel Tower ! Let us take you on a virtual bubbly tour.

Afternoon Tea in Paris

Tea time is trending in Paris, but it's tea with a French twist — Thé à la Française. We suggest you get on board the tea tray and that you select one of the grande luxury hotels to sample their high teas. At a fraction of what a meal would cost, you get to soak in all the luxury, crême de la crême service, and delicious gateaus and patisseries with a freshly brewed pot of tea. We'll share seven delicious choices.