Planning a summer holiday? And are you, just like us here at YUME in the mood for a summer city break to The City of Light? Then here’s your chance for a few tips for a more conscious take on the city.
Paris is always a good idea, right? Known for its dazzling boulevards, cozy pavement cafés, haute couture fashion, iconic landmarks and so much more. Thus, we have done our very best to round up the best of Paris and be conscious about the environment at the same time. Enjoy!
How to get here?
We always recommend that you travel by bus or train, which is quite easy if you live in Europe. However, if you don’t live in Europe (or just don’t want to spend any additional time on transportation) use our sustainable travel that’s truly good guide where you can find inspiration on how to travel by plane.
Where to stay?
Le Citizen Hotel
Le Citizen is an eco-friendly boutique hotel located in the trendy and vibrant area, Quai de Jemmapes, just by Canal St. Martin. The hotel has 12 rooms, all decorated with wood and other natural materials, reflecting the eco-friendly philosophy. Furthermore, the hotel has a paperless office, water conservation and energy saving policies and they make their purchases solely trough local merchants. The food served here (whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner) is extremely delicious and every morning you can enjoy a complimentary, homemade and healthy breakfast overlooking the Canal. What’s not to like?
Solar Hotel
If you are travelling on a budget and would like stay in an eco-friendly accommodation at the same time, this might be the perfect hotel for you. It is the first low-cost urban green hotel in Paris and it facilitates recycling, has solar panels (quite fitting for its name), and has water collectors for all of its plants. All rooms are even decorated with natural and recycled materials. In the cozy, green hotel garden you can enjoy a full French breakfast that’s 100% organic and fair trade. Prices for each room start at 89€ and breakfast is complimentary.
Last but not least: they offer free bikes for all guests to stroll around the city. Is there really any better way to explore Paris? We think not. (Well, maybe one of those uber-fun kick scooter but that’s another story)
Where to eat?
Peonies Paris
Peonies Paris is a small flower and coffee shop. The place is quite famous for its delicious matcha pancakes, which is served with fresh fruits in all the colors of the rainbow. If you are not into matcha pancakes, they also serve vegetarian rolls, fresh juices, coffee and handmade cakes and cookies. Especially the pastries are very hard to resist. The bouquets you can find in the store are not the traditional kind either. There are no classical, exotic flowers such as orchids and Gardenia; rather the bouquets are made from wild flowers in France or flowers from local gardens.
Yumi
Yumi is a vegan restaurant where you can get food that’s both good for your body and a treat for the eyes. Yumi offers wraps, veggie bowls and salads all served/stuffed with seasonal vegetables. All vegetables are grown locally in Paris (some even in their basement – Urban farming level 100) and their delicious juices all come in bottles made from sugar cane residue, which makes them compostable and 100% biodegradable. Oh and by the way…. Prices here are ridiculously reasonable.
O/HP/E
O/HP/E is an elegant little concept shop located right in the middle of the 10th Arrondissement. Theshop packs in a bakery, a cafe with a cozy seating area, a grocery department and it even has it’s own housewares section. The shop is owned and operated by two lovely ladies, one is a baker and the other one serves in the shop. The café and bakery section serves sweets and pastry – all homemade and simply to die for. In the housewares section you’ll find a carefully collected portfolio of paper ware goods, coffee equipment and modern décor. In the grocery section you can stock up homemade honey, jams and cookies. O/HP/E is a definitely a must-visit if you have a sweet tooth or would like to pick up a few unique gifts.
Where to shop?
Centre Commercial
Centre Commercial might be the hottest sustainable fashion store in Paris and people flock here every week to get their hands on the latest Veja drops. The store is housing ethical fashion brands from Denmark, Britain and France – all with a commitment to fashion, the environment and social responsibility. The concept store itself is incredibly Instagrammable and carries everything from environmentally friendly fashion to vintage furniture and secondhand bicycles. And by the way, if you are looking to find something for your mini-me Centre Commercial Kids is just around the corner. Happy (sustainable) shopping!
Biocoop
If you need delicious snacks on the go we suggest you stop by Biocoop.
Biocoop is a chain of shops that work hard to encourage local production and minimize the ecological footprint from transportation. This means that Biocoop does not have any suppliers located more than 150 km away from each store. But even though you won’t find any avocados from South America the store still has a ton of delicious, local goodies to offer and the majority is sold by weight.Oh, and did we mention that everything in the store is organic?
Madeleine et Gustave
Madeleine et Gustave is an interior and lifestyle store located just across the street from Centre Commercial Kids. All products are carefully curated with great attention to transparency in terms of history and origin of each product. The items from the Madeleine et Gustave brand (the store’s own brand) are all made in France from materials which are either recycled or can be upcycled. The decoration in the store consists mainly of plants (these you can also buy), creating a cool, urban jungle vibe. The store has a small café on top where the ambiance is on point, just like the rest of place.
Noyoco
This brand really takes sustainability to the next level. Located on a quiet street in Paris, this store only sells locally produced clothes made from earth-friendly, organic and repurposed materials. Even the price tags are made from fibre instead of paper. This brand combines Parisian elegance with beautiful, sustainable basics.
Bon voyage!
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