Travel Journal

6 Paris Addresses We Love in August

©Chateau des Fleurs

Paris in August has its own rhythm. These are six addresses we’d happily plan a summer day around.

August 11, 2026

If you’re coming to Paris in August, you’ve probably already heard that it’s the month when Parisians leave the city.

And yes, a lot of them do. Some restaurants close for their annual summer break, your favorite little bakery may suddenly have a handwritten fermé jusqu’à septembre sign on the door, and you’ll definitely notice fewer locals around.

But there’s still plenty happening in Paris, and August can actually be a really nice time to be here. It’s quieter, there’s less traffic, and you can enjoy parts of the city that normally feel incredibly busy with a little more space.

The only thing we’d recommend is having a few good addresses in mind before you arrive, because you can’t always assume somewhere will be open.

So we’ve put together seven places we love that are worth knowing about for an August trip to Paris, from a rooftop for drinks to an old-school French restaurant, a favorite spot for lunch and a few places you may not already have on your list.

©Chateau Voltaire

Brasserie L’Émil at Château Voltaire

Château Voltaire is one of those Paris hotels where everything feels very considered without trying too hard, and its brasserie, L’Émil, is one of our favourite reasons to stop by.

The room has the polish of a hotel restaurant but still feels relaxed enough for an impromptu lunch. In August, we particularly like coming here when central Paris is a little quieter, ordering something simple and staying longer than planned.

Before leaving, have a look around Château Voltaire itself. The interiors are beautiful and the location, between the Opéra and the Tuileries, makes it an easy address to build an afternoon around.

We’d go for: lunch followed by a wander towards the Palais Royal.

©Brach Paris

The Rooftop at Brach Paris

August is exactly when a Paris rooftop makes sense.

High above the 16th arrondissement, Brach has a completely different energy from central Paris. The rooftop is green, relaxed and feels surprisingly removed from the streets below.

Go towards the end of the day, order a drink and stay for sunset. It’s especially lovely after spending the afternoon around Passy or walking through the Bois de Boulogne.

And after several days of pavement and museums, sitting somewhere surrounded by greenery with Paris stretching out in front of you feels very welcome.

We’d go for: an early evening drink as the temperature starts to drop.

©La Petite Chaise

La Petite Chaise

La Petite Chaise, on rue de Grenelle, claims the title of the oldest restaurant in Paris, with roots going back to the 17th century. Inside, you find wooden panelling, old paintings, white tablecloths and the sort of atmosphere that makes perfect sense on the Left Bank.

The food follows the same philosophy: classic French cooking rather than whatever happens to be fashionable this month.

It’s somewhere we’d send a friend looking for a traditional Parisian dinner rather than the latest opening.

We’d go for: classic French food after an afternoon wandering Saint-Germain.

©Le Sand

Le Sand

Just around the corner from the Tuileries, Le Sand is a relatively new Paris address, opened by the same team behind Alfred and Alfi’s nearby. Its name is a nod to George Sand (Alfred, of course, refers to Alfred de Musset), which is a fun little piece of Paris history behind the trio of restaurants.

The idea is straightforward: a modern French bistro where you can stop for lunch, cocktails or something small later in the day. Chef Jon Morales’ menu takes familiar bistro food and plays with it a little — beef carpaccio, raw tuna, seasonal vegetables, grilled meats and good desserts rather than anything overly formal.

We particularly like it as an address to keep in mind when you’re around the Tuileries, Place Vendôme or rue Saint-Honoré. It serves continuously from noon until midnight Monday through Saturday, which is also rather useful in August when you don’t necessarily want to plan your day around a restaurant reservation.

©Chateau des Fleurs

Château des Fleurs

A few steps from the Champs-Élysées, Château des Fleurs feels much more intimate than its location might suggest.

The hotel is inspired by the elegant private houses of 19th-century Paris, but without becoming overly formal. It’s warm, beautifully decorated and just removed enough from the activity outside.

You don’t necessarily need to be staying here to enjoy it. We like hotel bars precisely for this reason, you can disappear inside for an hour, order a drink and enjoy the surroundings before heading back into the city.

We’d go for: an apéritif before dinner.

©Chez Janou

Chez Janou

If there’s one address on this list that really feels made for August, it might be Chez Janou.

Hidden just behind Place des Vosges, this lively little bistro brings a touch of Provence to the Marais. Tables spill outside, the atmosphere is convivial, and the menu leans unapologetically south, exactly what we want on a warm Paris evening.

It isn’t somewhere for a hushed dinner. It’s busy, cheerful and sometimes a little chaotic, which is part of the fun.

And yes, save room for the chocolate mousse.

We’d go for: dinner after an evening walk through Place des Vosges.