Everybody’s favorite fixer upper — Joanna Gaines — traded Waco, TX for Paris, France for a few pre-fall days of eating and exploration in September 2022. We already knew Jo knows what trends work at home, but based on her itinerary while visiting the City of Lights, it looks like she also knows what’s in while abroad.
Joanna Gaines’s Paris Restaurant Recommendations
LE PAUL BERT
Joanna got her “Game face” on to pour the ingredients for her chocolat chaud into a mug at Le Paul Bert. She declared the drink the “Best hot chocolate,” which is high praise, considering so many celebrities go to Angelina for its famous hot chocolate when in Paris, France.
SUNDAY IN SOHO
This American bistro in France describes its essence as “bringing NYC vibes to Paris” (there’s even a grilled chicken bowl named after Beyoncé!). Everything on the menu — including Jo’s order of hummus, fluffy pancakes, and Greenback toast — is seasonally-driven and made from scratch.
Joanna Gaines’s Paris Shopping Recommendations
PARIS FLEA MARKET
The Paris Flea Market is the largest antique market in the world, full of vintage finds Joanna could only dream of shipping back to the Silos for shop displays, future fixer uppers, and personal home decor. In fact, she tagged Chip Gaines in one photo of some wood floors and asked if she could send them to “Le Waco? s’il vous plait??”
MONCEAU FLEURS
Pampas grass was already on the Magnolia cofounder’s radar as a popular floral that’s great for arranging, so surely these brightly-colored stems caught her eye and made for the perfect picture of inspiration spotted on the streets of Paris. Thankfully, there are multiple Monceau Fleurs locations throughout the city for you to pick from.
Joanna Gaines’s Paris Sightseeing Recommendations
EIFFEL TOWER
Does coming to this city even count if you don’t pose in front of the Eiffel Tower? Jo went during dusk for her proof of Paris picture.
PALAIS-ROYAL
The black and white columns popping up in the courtyard of the Palais-Royal is actually an art installation created in the 1980s by French artist Daniel Buren. Surely Jo drew some inspiration from this iconic Parisian tourist spot.
PARIS BY DESIGN
From cheese and baguette picnics in the park, to a perfume-making class and cake workshop, Joanna followed an inspired itinerary created by Eva Jorgensen Travel, the force behind the community of art and design-loving Francophiles called Paris by Design (trips are limited to a small group of participants who are accepted through the company’s application process). On her way home, Joanna shared she was “thinking about how wonderful Paris was” and thanked Eva “for sharing all your favorites about this magical place.” You can discover more of them for yourself in the Paris by Design book.
