LIVE from Paris April 2025: Notre Dame and La Louvre Rediscovered

Café, Wine, Cheese, and Restaurant Recommendations

Apr 08, 2025

I am LIVE in Paris this beautiful April morning. April in Paris….a great time to be here before the crowds descend in the summer. Prior to cruising on the Seine River wine cruise with AmaWaterways, “Impressions of the Seine & Paris,” I wanted to personally visit two of the most iconic buildings in Paris: Notre-Dame, splendid in its new post-fire renovation and La Louvre, with its first-ever couture collection.

Along the way I am noting wines to drink, cheeses to sample, and restaurants to critique. Advance planning a trip to Paris is important, as you will want to group your sites and restaurants together. Most require reservations, especially for the 2-Star Michelin restaurant. I am staying in two different Paris hotels - before and after the cruise. I hope you enjoy this real-time travel experience with me.

“It's also imperative to say "hello" (bonjour if it's daytime, bonsoir if it's nighttime) upon entering a store or restaurant. Eye contact is encouraged, too.

“10 Common Travel Mistakes to Avoid in Paris, according to a Local” Travel + Leisure Magazine, June 18, 2024

Musée du Louvre and the Louvre Couture: A Historic Fashion Exhibition

La Louvre is a must-visit for Paris. But, even if you have been there many times, this historic fashion exhibition is significant. It is the first couture exhibit in the museum’s 232-year history. Louvre Couture merges the intellectual and visual worlds of art and fashion. Curated by Olivier Gabet, the exhibition features 100 contemporary pieces from 45 designers and fashion houses including: Christian Dior, Yves St. Laurent, Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Prada. On March 5^th the 2025 Grand Dîner du Louvre took place, rivaling the grandeur of NYC Met Gala. Fashion, music, and film’s biggest names attended the event, and raised more than 1.4 million euros for the Musée du Louvre. Always book an entry time and purchase tickets in advance of your visit to La Louvre.

Editor’s Note: Collapse of Spire, Notre-Dame

Notre-Dame and its Post-Fire Renovation

Since the late 12^th century, the striking gothic stone cathedral of Notre-Dame standing on an island in the middle of the River Seine has been a lookout to coronations and revolutions happening. Officially reopening December of 2024, a devastating fire in April of 2019 threatened to see an end to its history. What a splendid rebirth of this important cathedral. Led by architect Philippe Villeneuve, the extensive restoration cost 150 million euros. The awe-inspiring beauty is well worth the visit. In order to have quicker entry, book an entry time two days in advance of your visit via the website or mobile app.

Editor’s Note: Highlights of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony

“[Musicians and Composers] faced with the Notre-Dame's soaring nave, ribbed vaults and towering columns, a group of composers began to try something different to take advantage of the way sound rattled around inside the building. They introduced multiple lines of melody simultaneously to produce elaborate polyphonic arrangements, or motets – the early beginnings of a musical texture that is a common feature in modern music, from jazz to pop and hip-hop.”

-BBC, March 6, 2025, “The space is like an instrument: How Notre-Dame found its voice after fire muffled it.”

What I am Drinking in Paris

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé, Champagne, France, NV $109

Robert Parker, 92 Points

Guigal Condrieu 2019, Rhone, France, (Viognier), $70

Wine Enthusiast, 93 Points

2023 Domaines Ott BY.OTT Rose, Cotes de Provence, France, $30

Wine Enthusiast, 93 Points

Spring Gift Certificate to WW

Cheeses to Sample in Paris (at a Fromagerie)

Comté: a semi-hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk from France’s Jura Massif region. Creamy, fruity, nutty.

Roquefort: a sheep milk blue cheese from southern France. Sharp, tangy, salty.

Camembert: a soft, creamy, bloomy-rind cow’s milk cheese from Normandy. Rich and buttery.

Atelier Maître Albert, Paris, Michelin 2 Stars.

Restaurants and Cafés to Consider

Atelier Maître Albert with Guy Savoy – 2 Michelin stars.

1 rue Maître-Albert, Paris, 75005, France

+33 1 56 81 30 01

I enjoyed the fixed price 3 course for 45 €

Breizh Café Montorgueil – La Crêpe Autrement

14 Rue de Petits Carreaux, 70002

Well-known multi-location crêperie.

Le Café Marly – 92 Rue de Rivoli, 75001

+33 1 49 26 06 60

In the heart of the Tuileries, beneath the arcades of the Louvre, it’s a combination of a Parisian brasserie and a literary café. A great place to have teatime (perfect for my jet lag) or dinner following your visit to La Louvre.

Breakfast at the Hotel Saint-Louis en L’Isle, Paris, France

Where I am Staying in Paris

The Drawing Hotel, 17 Rue de Richelieu, 1^st Arrondissement near La Louvre

+33 1 73 62 11 11. This hotel is a 5 minute walking distance to La Louvre.

Hotel Saint-Louis en L’Isle – Notre Dame, 75 Rue Saint-Louis en L’ile, 4 arr, 75004

+33 1 73 62 11 11.

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In Case You Missed It in the News: Wine Business

WineBusiness, April 2, 2025, “Texas White Oak Used to Age Texas Wine” See previous stories in Wine Wanderings on Bending Branch Winery: “Breaking News: Texas Winery Named WineBusiness Hot 10 Brand of 2024,” Feb. 1, 2025

The Wall Street Journal, March 13, 2025 “From Champagne to Bourbon, Alcohol Lands on the Front Lines of Global Trade War.”

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Cruise the Danube on AmaWaterways with Wine Wanderings and Wölffer Estate Winery, April 20, 2026, Romantic Danube.