Emily in Paris: These Places Actually Exist—Here’s How to Visit Them
I have to be honest: So far, I’ve only seen Paris from the airport. But I know every nook and cranny of Emily’s Paris. The Place de l’Estrapade with the fountain. The pink house in Montmartre. The view from the Café de l’Homme of the Eiffel Tower, which starts to sparkle at night.
Emily in Paris has achieved something that very few series manage to do: it has made a city the main character. In this series, Paris isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a character. Every street, every café, every rainy morning on the way to work feels like a declaration of love for a city that isn’t actually as accessible as it seems.
The beauty of it is that almost all of these places actually exist. You can go there. You can sit at the same table, order the same coffee, and enjoy the same view of the Eiffel Tower.
Here are the most important ones—and how to visit them.
WHY PARIS? THE STORY BEHIND THE SERIES
Series creator Darren Star—known for “Sex and the City”—had a clear vision from the start: to treat Paris not as a backdrop, but as a character. The city itself was meant to speak.
And it does. Season 1 was filmed almost exclusively on real Parisian streets. No sets, no replicas. What you see is real—and that’s exactly what makes the series so appealing to travelers.
Since the first season, Paris has seen a noticeable increase in tourists who specifically visit the show’s filming locations. The 5th arrondissement, long known as the student-filled Latin Quarter, has since become a pilgrimage site for Emily fans.
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EMILY’S APARTMENT: PLACE DE L’ESTRAPADE
At the heart of the series is an unassuming address in the Latin Quarter: 1 Place de l’Estrapade, 5th arrondissement.
Emily lives in what’s known as a “chambre de bonne”—an attic room that looks far more glamorous in the series than it does in reality. The building is a typical Parisian Haussmann-style building with a weathered facade, a narrow staircase, and the view you’d hope to get for 1,500 euros a month in this city.
What the series leaves out: The real “chambre de bonne” is usually tiny, without an elevator, and with a shared bathroom down the hall. Emily’s version is, let’s say, an optimistic interpretation.
The square itself is quiet, almost unknown—just a few minutes’ walk from the Panthéon. That’s precisely what makes it charming.
📍 1 Place de l’Estrapade, 75005 Paris
Metro: Maubert – Mutualité (Line 10)
GABRIEL’S RESTAURANT: TERRA NERA
The restaurant where Emily’s neighbor Gabriel works as head chef is located 67 meters from her apartment. In the series, it’s a classic French bistro. In reality, it’s an Italian restaurant called Terra Nera—and, according to customer reviews, it’s perfect.
📍 18 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques, 75005 Paris
Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch (12:00–14:30) and dinner (19:00–22:30). Reservations recommended—the restaurant has become well-known since appearing on the show.
Helpful tip: The apartment, restaurant, and bakery (16 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques) are all within 100 meters of each other—you can check all three off your list with a short walk.
Emily’s workplace is Place Valois.
The fictional marketing agency Savoir is located above the Patrick Fourtin Gallery on Place Valois—right next to the Jardin du Palais-Royal, one of the city’s most beautiful and least-known parks.
The garden is tucked away behind the arcades of the Palais-Royal, just a few minutes from the Louvre, and is what Parisians consider their open-air living room. This is where Emily runs into Mindy during her first lunch break, because none of her coworkers want to eat with her.
The park is free to enter and is used by locals for picnics, walks, and lunch breaks. No admission fee, no lines. Rarely found on tourist maps.
📍 Jardin du Palais-Royal, Rue de Valois 43, 75001 Paris
Metro: Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre (Line 1 and 7)
Lunch Break Like Emily: Jardin du Palais Royal
Right next to the office is one of the most beautiful parks in Paris—and the first place where Emily meets her best friend, Mindy.
Emily spends her first lunch break alone in the Jardin du Palais Royal—and there she meets Mindy, who is also not French and works as a nanny in Paris. The two hit it off immediately, and the garden becomes one of their favorite meeting spots.
The Jardin du Palais Royal is free to enter, always open, and one of the quietest green havens in the otherwise bustling 1st arrondissement. The distinctive black-and-white columns (Colonnes de Buren) in the courtyard are one of the most photographed sights in Paris.
📍Place du Palais-Royal, 75001 Paris
Métro: Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre
PONT ALEXANDRE III: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE IN THE CITY
In Season 1, a commercial for the fictional watch brand De l’Heure is filmed on the Pont Alexandre III—and no location in the series could have been better chosen.
Dating back to the late 19th century, the bridge is gilded, ornate, and offers one of the city’s most iconic views of the Eiffel Tower. It connects the Champs-Élysées with the Invalides district and is impressive at any time of day—but most beautiful at sunset.
No admission fee. Open to the public. One of the most photographed spots in Paris—and rightly so.
📍 Pont Alexandre III, 75008 Paris
ATELIER DES LUMIÈRES: ART AS AN EXPERIENCE (EPISODE 5)
One of the most impressive filming locations in the first season is the Atelier des Lumières—a former 19th-century foundry in the 11th arrondissement that is now used as an exhibition space for immersive art projections.
In Episode 5, Emily, Gabriel, and Camille visit an exhibition together. The scene was filmed at the Van Gogh exhibition—paintings are projected onto 3,300 square meters of wall space, accompanied by music. The result is less of a museum visit and more of an event.
The Atelier changes its exhibitions regularly—it’s worth checking in advance to see what’s currently on. Tickets should be booked online well in advance.
📍 38 Rue Saint-Maur, 75011 Paris
Metro: Saint-Maur (Line 9)
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OPÉRA GARNIER: SWAN LAKE AND A BAD DATE (EPISODE 6)
In Episode 6, Emily visits the Opéra Garnier with the antique dealer Thomas to see *Swan Lake*. The date goes as expected—he’s a snob, and she ends up in the box of fashion designer Pierre Cadault.
The building itself is one of the city’s most important architectural landmarks: opened in 1875, designed by Charles Garnier, with a ceiling painted by Marc Chagall in 1964. Even if you don’t like opera, you should see the foyer.
You can take a guided tour of the opera house even without attending a performance. Tickets for the tour are significantly cheaper than tickets to a performance.
📍 Place de l’Opéra, 75009 Paris
Metro: Opéra (Line 3, 7, 8)
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MONTMARTRE: La MAISON ROSE AND PLACE DALIDA
Two of the show’s filming locations are in Montmartre—and both are worth visiting even outside the context of the series.
La Maison Rose—the pink restaurant on Rue de l’Abreuvoir where Emily and Mindy have dinner—really exists. It’s one of the most photographed cafés in Paris: small, colorful, and often crowded. Reservations are recommended.
📍 2 Rue de l’Abreuvoir, 75018 Paris
Just a few steps away is Place Dalida, named after the Egyptian-French singer. In the series, Emily sets up a bed here for an outdoor sleeping campaign. The square’s true appeal: From here, you can look up Rue de l’Abreuvoir toward the dome of the Sacré-Cœur—one of Montmartre’s most beautiful cityscapes, which no guidebook features on its cover.
📍 Place Dalida, 75018 Paris
TROCADÉRO: THE EIFFEL TOWER FROM THE RIGHT SIDE
The launch party for the Maison Lavaux perfume will take place at the Palais de Chaillot at the Trocadéro. The event is brief—but the view is anything but.
The Trocadéro offers the most symmetrical, expansive view of the Eiffel Tower. Crowded with tourists during the day, it’s almost magical at night. If you want to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower, go early in the morning or after midnight—that’s when the esplanade is almost empty.
📍 Place du Trocadéro, 75016 Paris
Metro: Trocadéro (Line 6 and 9)
The Best View of the Eiffel Tower: Café de l’Homme
There are places in Paris you simply must see at least once in your life. The Café de l’Homme is one of them.
The Café de l’Homme has arguably the most beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower in all of Paris—in the series, this is where the launch party for the luxury brand Maison Lavaux’s perfume takes place. The view is beautiful during the day—and in the evening, when the Eiffel Tower begins to sparkle, it’s unforgettable.
Reservations are required. Dinner here isn’t cheap, but even those on a tighter budget can enjoy a cocktail on the terrace.
📍 17 Place du Trocadéro, 75016 Paris
Métro: Trocadéro (Line 6 and 9)
THE WALL OF LOVE: “JE T’AIME” IN 300 LANGUAGES
In one of the most romantic scenes of the season, Emily suggests to Gabriel the perfect spot for him to propose to his girlfriend Camille: the Wall of Love (Le mur des je t’aime) in Montmartre.
The wall really exists. It displays “I love you” in 300 languages—in blue letters on black ceramic tiles, covering about 40 square meters. Installed in 2000 by two calligraphers and a writer, it is now considered one of the most romantic spots in the city. Admission is free, and it’s open to the public at all times.
📍 Square Jehan Rictus, Place des Abbesses, 75018 Paris
JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG: EMILY’S RUNNING ROUTE
Emily goes jogging regularly through the Jardin du Luxembourg—one of Paris’s major city parks, located in the 6th arrondissement. One lap on the outer paths is about 2.5 kilometers. If you want to go further, do several laps in the morning when the park is still quiet.
Even without exercising: The park is one of the most beautiful in Paris—with the Palais du Luxembourg, fountains, green metal benches, and the feeling that the city has briefly stopped rushing.
📍 15 Rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris
Metro: Odéon (Line 4 and 10) or Notre-Dame-des-Champs (Line 12)
Coffee with a History: Café de Flore
When Emily spends an evening on a café terrace and gets caught up in a philosophical discussion, it’s no coincidence.
The Café de Flore was Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir’s favorite café and is now a major tourist attraction. It has long been known as an illustrious gathering place for writers, philosophers, and actors, including Brigitte Bardot, Yves Saint Laurent, and Ernest Hemingway.
In the series, Emily spends an evening on the terrace in Season 1 and meets Thomas there.
A cup of coffee here costs around 5–7 euros—expensive for a coffee, but a bargain for 100 years of history.
📍 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris
Métro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Lunch Like the French: Café Marly at the Louvre
When Emily has lunch with Sylvie and Camille after a meeting and the Louvre Pyramid appears in the background—that’s no coincidence, and it’s not a set.
At Café Marly, right next to the Louvre, Sylvie, Emily, and Camille have lunch after a meeting. Café Marly is one of Paris’s most iconic spots—expensive, but well worth the experience.
📍 93 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Métro: Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre
HOTEL MOLITOR: A POOL WITH A HISTORY
Emily and Mindy receive samples of the Soleil de Paris perfume by the pool at the Hôtel Molitor. The hotel itself is more than just a TV show set.
The Molitor opened in 1929 as a public indoor swimming pool—one of the first in Paris. The bikini was first shown to the public here in 1946. After decades of decline, a stint as an ice rink, and a long period of vacancy during which graffiti artists took over the building, it reopened as a design hotel in 2014.
The pool is open to outside guests for a daily admission fee—one of the most extraordinary swimming experiences in the city.
📍 13 Rue Nuée Bleue, 75016 Paris
Metro: Michel-Ange – Molitor (Line 9 and 10)
The Canal Saint-Martin – Emily’s hip hidden gem
Far from the crowds of tourists lies one of the trendiest spots in Paris.
Lately, the Canal Saint-Martin has become one of the trendiest spots in Paris. Located east of the city, this 4.55-kilometer-long canal runs between the Bastille and Porte de la Villette stations—lined with small cafés, restaurants, and outlet stores.
This is where the real Paris comes to life—less touristy, more vibrant. It’s perfect for an afternoon with a book and a glass of wine on the canal bank.
📍Métro: Gare de l’Est or République
PARIS OFF THE BEATEN PATH—WHAT YOU SHOULD REALLY EXPERIENCE
“Emily in Paris” shows Paris through the eyes of an American woman who is in love—with the city, with Gabriel, with life. The result: a version of Paris that exists but is incomplete.
What the series doesn’t show:
The Marais district—with its Jewish delis, bustling bookstores, hidden galleries, and the Place des Vosges, Paris’s oldest city square. One of the liveliest neighborhoods in the city, it never sleeps in the summer.
Île Saint-Louis—the smaller of the two river islands, with a single main street, artisanal ice cream from Berthillon, and the feeling that the city has briefly stepped out of the 21st century.
PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS FOR PARIS
Best Time to Visit
April through June and September through October. The weather is pleasant, the outdoor seating areas are full, and the lines at the attractions are shorter than in the height of summer.
Getting There
Paris has two main airports: Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY). Direct flights from German cities start at around 50–150 €, depending on the season and when you book. The TGV ride from Frankfurt or Cologne takes less than 4 hours—often more relaxing than the flight.
Getting Around the City
The Métro is affordable, frequent, and reliable. The Carnet (10 single-ride tickets) is cheaper than buying individual tickets. For longer stays: the Navigo weekly pass. However, many of the filming locations are so close to one another—especially in the 5th, 6th, and 1st arrondissements—that walking is the better option.
Accommodations
If you want to be close to Emily’s world: The 5th arrondissement (Quartier Latin) is ideal—central, full of character, and well-connected. The 6th arrondissement (Saint-Germain-des-Prés) is a bit pricier, but quieter and more elegant.
Budget Reality
Paris is expensive, but not unreachable. Lunch at bakeries (sandwich + drink: €7–10), national museums are free on the first Sunday of the month, and a one-day metro pass costs less than €10. If you avoid the tourist restaurants near the Eiffel Tower, you’ll eat better and spend less.
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A Walking Tour Through Emily’s Paris
All the filming locations are easily accessible on foot. Here’s a suggestion for a full day:
Morning: Place de l’Estrapade → Pain au chocolat at Boulangerie Moderne → a brief look at Terra Nera from the outside
Noon: Place de Valois → Lunch at Bistrot Valois → Jardin du Palais Royal
Afternoon: Café Marly at the Louvre → Passage du Grand Cerf → Canal Saint-Martin
Evening: Montmartre → La Maison Rose → Pont Alexandre III at sunset → Cocktail at Café de l’Homme with a view of the Eiffel Tower
CONCLUSION: IS PARIS STILL WORTH IT WITHOUT EMILY?
Absolutely. The show didn’t invent Paris—it reminded many people of it all over again.
Emily in Paris showed me that this city isn’t just the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. It’s made up of small squares, pink houses, wobbly café chairs, and conversations that feel as if time has stopped for a moment.
That’s the real Paris. And it’s waiting for you.
All prices are approximate and may vary depending on the season and availability.
Emily’s other adventures are waiting for you, too
Rome: In Season 4, Emily trades Paris for the Eternal City—the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and Trastevere at night. All the real filming locations, complete with addresses and the most important tip about the Spanish Steps.
Côte d’Azur: Season 2 promises Saint-Tropez—and delivers something even more beautiful. All the real filming locations between Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
