Café du Petit Palais

To get into this unexpected tropical garden in the heart of the Petit Palais, you first have to get a free ticket to the permanent collection, then make your way through the first wing of the building. It’s definitely worth stopping in for a look at the art, but when you get to the café you’ll find a ravishing garden with a pond, palm trees and herbs, encircled by the interior arcades of the Petit Palais. A few round mosaic-topped tables invite quiet afternoons of reading.

Coffees, Mariage Frères teas, hot chocolates and organic smoothies are all on the menu. The food selection isn’t anything to write home about and is a little overpriced, but you might want to try the salads, pastas, bagels and cheesecakes in order not to relinquish your table. The interior of the café is of very cool modern design, not exactly welcoming. It’s all about the garden.