Irish pubs are usually known for having cheerful atmosphere and good spirit. This one is no exception.

The Cork and Cavan Pub is a welcoming pub at the canal St Martin, in the area with a rich concurrence concerning cute and unpretentious places for a drink.

Step inside and you will find a rare and interesting 2 rooms place: one room with a counter (serving great Irish beers) and bookshelves where you can exchange English books and the other room with a sports TV screen. Both of them are equally enjoyable. It’s possible to sit on the outside so choices are here.

Cosmopolitan easiness, cute interior, nice look over the canal makes this place attractive and inviting. I almost forgot: you can play darts too!

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The Cork&Cavan Pub | Bars | Beer pint € 5.50
68/70 Quai de Jemmapes | +33142081115
Mon – Thu 15:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 02:00

One of the most famous of Parisian foods after the croissant is surely “La Crêpe”. On every third street-corner throughout the city there is a small stand where pancakes are available. Often there are only 3-4 basic kinds, and usually they are not as good as you expected. It might not even be prepared in front of you, but simply reheated. It’s a pity to eat a crêpe just to satisfy hunger rather than really enjoying it.

There are popular and without doubt good Brittany crêpe-spots near Montparnasse (such as the Crêperie de Pont-Aven, or Saint-Malo, 54 and 53 Rue du Montparnasse), but they are all too well-known.

What I recommend you is not the big and famous kind of place.

Le Pot O’Lait is just a small crêperie, not especially successful with a wannabe authentic interior, but it is truly an excellent place to eat pancakes, as is evident from the number of people inside. It is dedicated to crêpes and galettes only. A galette is a large buckwheat flour savoury pancake, while crêpes are made with wheat flour and usually have a sweet filling.

There are around 20 savoury salty kinds and at least as many sweet ones. Sweet can also be flam béed and served with ice-cream or whipped cream. ‘Squirrel’ flavour (écureuil) contains sweet nuts and great savoury ones are Capucin or Fermière. These are personal choices, but I’m sure the others are just as good.

One more thing that makes this place special is the warm and enthusiastic staff.

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Le Pot O’ Lait | Snacks, Restaurants (Crêpes) | Menu € 10.90
41 rue Censier | +33142170569
Tue – Sat 11:00 – 14:30 & 19:00 – 22:30

These 2 cafés one across the other are one of the most popular local coffee shop around Bastille.

They have an interesting mixture of artefacts and pictures, as well as tranquil ambiance during the day makes it a place you feel good at.

Sometimes too boboish and a bit pretentious, nevertheless it has a charm.

When I came to Paris, at the beginning I was surprised that if you are by chance hungry at 16:00. it’s difficult to find a restaurant with kitchen opened. With time I saw that Parisians really respect the eating time table, so do the restaurants. With Le cafe de l’Industrie, it’s not the case. The kitchen is open all day around and the food is really good. The menu is bistro-range, with mainly French dishes.

In the right Industrie, a cat who is a household institution, will convince you, you have chosen well.

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Le Café de l’Industrie | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Brunch € 20.00
16/17 rue Saint Sabin | +33147001353
09:30 – 02:00 daily

Butte aux Cailles is a really lovely part of the city. What city is that? You wouldn’t guess, if someone just set you down without telling you, in the middle of the hilly Street Butte aux Cailles.

It is in southern Paris, in the 13th arrondissement – the northern limit is Boulevard Auguste Blanqui, to the south is Rue Tolbiac, Rue Barrault to the west and Rue du Moulin-des-Prés to the east.

It has the atmosphere of a tranquil little village and will certainly give you a holiday feeling, or if you like big cities but a calm neighbourhood, maybe a wish to live here. It had that effect on me.

Just a few centuries ago this area was covered with farms, windmills while the river Bièvre ran through it. The origin of its name comes from the 16th century owner, Cailles, while buttes are hills. Today, history is visible through its distinction from its surrounding areas: Haussmann’s Paris on one side and high blocks of buildings on the other. And the river went into the underworld (canalisation).

At evenings, weekends and on sunny days, there is a great atmosphere all around. Lively, not stuffy and not snobbish at all.

If suggestions for places to go are at all needed, I would just say walk around before choosing a bar, especially in the Rue Butte aux Cailles. Fine places are the Basque restaurant in the Rue des Cinq Diamants (Chez Gladines) and La Folie en Tête, Le Diapason, Sputnik in the Rue Buttes aux Cailles.

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Butte aux Cailles | Bars, Coffee & tea | Pint of Beer € 5
Boulevard Auguste Blanqui/ Rue Tolbiac
Most bars till 02:00

Had enough of the city centre? In the Rue de Bagnolet, 20th arrondissement, you can really enjoy a night out. Here are 2 cool places. One is a concert hall Fleched’Or (102 Bis, rue de Bagnolet) and the other is bar Le Piston Pélican. So you can combine the two, but also stay at the bar Le Piston Pélican- things are going on here as well-exhibitions, concerts. Or if you prefer no „events”, a drink at the Pélican can be just enough.

Piston Pélican is a mixture of a local friendly bar, arty on one side, style bistro Parisien on the other. It’s unusual and original, like it’s name. Le Piston means a person that is a connection in “the right places” so nepotism in the hands of pelican.

They have benches with art deco designed tables, in combination with some parodic arty works gets ironic-collage impressions. The cooked eggs at the counter are a funny detail as well as the Pelicans drawings on different parts in the bar.

The atmosphere is friendly, crowded on weekend nights when there are concerts or DJ’s. Other days are calm but not boring, with selected music.

Pelican is not going to disappoint.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/pistonpelican

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Le Piston Pélican | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Pint (happy hour) € 3.50
15, rue de Bagnolet | +33143711576
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 02:00, Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

Salle à Manger is a pleasant place to stop if you are in the Rue Mouffetard.

Want to contemplate the historic or symbolic significance of the area or just to eat well, Salle à Manger gives you both.

Rue Mouffetard, where Salle à Manger is located, dates back to Roman times when Paris was called Lutetia. Later it became a commercial thoroughfare and today it is a mix of tourist attractions, restaurants and small food shops. When not overcrowded it is amusing, though my advice would be to take your time when choosing a restaurant.

Salle à Manger is a budget-friendly restaurant with two terraces, the second of which is the most interesting with a view of the St. Médard church (whose oldest parts date from the 15th century, though the church has stood in the same place since the 11th), situated in the middle of an open-air food market. The scenery is reminiscent of the Middle Ages when markets were often found in front of religious edifices. Street artists sometimes add to the experience.

“The Dining Room” is a brunch-oriented restaurant, with large and delicious salads that are prepared with care. The apple crumble is especially good, also available to take away. With a mild ginger flavour it is worth trying.

If you prefer to eat inside, the atmosphere is exactly as its name suggests – as cosy as a dining room.

And if the sun should make an appearance, the second terrace is bathed in sunshine during the morning and the early afternoon.

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La Salle à Manger | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Brunch € 15.00
138 rue Mouffetard | +33155439199
08:30 – 19:30 daily

Mk2 Beaubourg is a moderately big cinema (6 different sized rooms) in the centre of town that offers a big selection of films every day.

MK2 chain was created by Marin Karmitz who tried to make a strong chain of independent films. At MK2 you can watch the best independent movies, often those selected at the festivals specialising in that genre. Not rarely are they classics to be. Opened to mainly European films, there are world productions as well. Documentaries and animated films are not equally represented, but are also often included in the program.

Films begin at around 11:00. and the tickets are cheaper before 15:00.

The slogan of MK2 as a different idea about the cinema, tells the principle of it’s creator wanting to give non commercial films more public space. Though there are plenty of other MK2 cinemas in Paris (like Cinema on the boat at Quai de Seine and Quai de Loire or visually, maybe, more atractive MK2 Bibliothèque) the Beaubourg has the specific small-cinema charm and by its position at the town centre is ideal place to enjoy and support the different approach to cinema.

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MK2 | Cinemas | Normal price € 8.50
50, rue Rambuteau | +33892698484
11:00 – 01:00 daily

I discovered this place not long ago, and immediately, even from the outside, I knew it would become dear to me.

It has a specific open atmosphere and goodwill vibrations that are all visible. People are relaxed, friendly, the staff totally unpretentious and new guests feel welcome, it even has some intimate, we know-each other mood.

Les Marcheurs de Planète-Resto Zinc is officially a wine bar and offers about 50 sorts of wine. The excellent food is home cooked and freshly prepared. The food is mostly terroir food, meaning the food has special characteristics from the land of a certain geographic region. In this case cheese and sausages and with wine it is very important, depending on the region’s grapes.

The food is served till midnight and the bar is open till 02:00. I won’t say more than if you like hot chocolate, you should try it – and don’t eat anything before.

And that is not all, it has small cute details like chess tables, old piano…books, travel souvenirs, cask, old armchairs. Often they host small exhibitions, in type very similar to Art brut cafe (check the Art Brut cafe article).

Fair trade ideas that are moral bases of this bar and it’s great ambiance make Resto Zinc just the perfect place.

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Resto Zinc | Bars | Brunch € 15.50
73, rue de la Roquette | +33143489098
Tue – Sun 17:30 – 02:00 (kitchen 19:30 – 00:00)

La Promenade plantée is the only elevated park in the world. Situated on the top of an ancient viaduct it connects Bastille Square with the Periphery Boulevard. It is a nice, not too long walk (4.5 km) through the middle of the 12 arrondisement.

The experience is certainly atypical, as you walk on the approximately 9 meters high viaduct straight ahead, surrounded by different more or less exotic plants and trees and at the same time you are in the middle of the city. All around, you see the diverse architecture styles emerging and changing- great all in one, somehow surrealistic setting.

On the lower level there is a place for cyclists; it is a rare privilege not to cycle “with the cars”. Down, on the street level, in the arcades there are about 50 arts and crafts ateliers, which are the pride of the arrondisement and are really interesting to explore if you like that way of art/craft expression.

La Promenade plantée is usually not too crowded and it can also have a intimate atmosphere. With its intervention of plant and landscape art created by Vergely and Mathieux in the urban milieu this park deserves to be included in 7,8 days visit plan.

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La Promenade plantée | Relaxing | Free
Blv Picpus till Bastille
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 21:00

Year 2012: Paris is not the city any more where Picasso paints, Breton automatically writes, Tzara has performances, you’ll not meet Jean Paul and Simone strolling, New Wave cinema is past , however there is still something profoundly impressive in some parts of Latin Quarter, something about its artistic and intellectual resonance.

One of such spots is Champollion street, the arty cinema street in 5th arrondisement. It is a charming and quiet street with 3 important cinemas and one cool coffee shop (Le Reflet).

The oldest cinema, at the corner of the street – Le Campo Espace Tati – is from 1938 (not long ago it was given the historic monument status) and here you can watch classics, specially New Wave ones. There are often all night’s thematic projections or projections dedicated to certain directors. Chabrol called this place his second university.

Reflet Médicis is the middle cinema; it was a theatre in the past, to what fact you’ll be reminded by the painting in the room 3. Here you can watch arty films, specially those of European production. The last in a row is the Filmothèque: the title discovers the program.

Film festivals, different movie cycles, sometimes even the public lectures add to the feeling that if you are a film fan you are in the right place.

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Rue Champollion | Cinemas | Ticket from € 9
Rue Champollion 75005
11:00 – 01:00 daily