Paris by Mouth

Rather than thinking of the city in arrondissements, the guides at Paris by Mouth prefer to see the landscape in terms of its pâtisseries, fromageries and countless other food shops. The organisation, originally a collaborative website put together by a group of food writers, organises three-hour walks (€95) around particular neighbourhoods, so you might wander the picture-perfect streets of Abbesses, moving from croissant to award-winning baguette, or stop in at the traiteurs and boucheries of Les Halles, the market area novelist Emile Zola called the belly of Paris. Alternatively, savour the city by food category instead. One wine tour (tipsily) exploring the new generation of sommeliers and winemakers in eastern Paris promises an introduction to the sorts of artisanal drinks that are livening up the city’s wine lists. The Christmas itinerary (€105) takes participants through a seasonal market and the specialty shops of Saint-Germain, with generous tastings of candied chestnuts and foie gras along the way.