How to do the French capital like Emily in Paris

It’s a wrap on Season Three, and Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) shows no signs of leaving Paris. And ogling the sepia-toned shots of bougainvillaea spilling from the wrought-iron balconies of Paris’s Haussmann buildings in the Netflix smash series Emily in Paris, I can’t blame her.

In fact, Emily is on her way to becoming almost French, and the latest series had many moments that rang true about my own experience of moving to France (namely, the horrors of French bureaucracy and the visa system). She still spends an inordinate amount of time fine-dining in restaurants with panoramic views of the Eiffel Tower (Savoir must be paying more than your average Parisian marketing firm), but Emily seems to finally be getting under the skin of the French capital.

Paris is always a good idea, but how do you avoid the tourist traps of lukewarm frites and hawkers touting Eiffel Tower keychains? Follow this guide to experience Emily’s Paris (wardrobe not included).

Do

In the latest season, Emily took ‘funemployment’ seriously and spent a jam-packed few days live-streaming her Parisian escapades to her followers. The Eiffel Tower and Montmartre’s Sacre Coeur may attract every tourist in the vicinity, but they’re popular for a reason.

Once you’ve ticked off the big sites, hit the art galleries. We’ve all heard of the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, but Paris is home to over 1,000 art galleries, many of which are small, intimate and exude the charm and cool of the gallery run by Emily’s friend/arch-nemesis Camille (Camille Razat). I particularly like the Musée Moreau, home to paintings by 19th-century Symbolist artist Gustave Moreau, with its higgledy-piggledy staircases that look like an illustration from a Lemony Snicket novel. The Musée Picasso is another highlight, and it’s difficult to say which grabs the attention more, the artwork or the building.

Summer may feel some way off, but Emily makes the most of getting outside in Paris. The Fête de la Musique, where Emily serenades Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) in Episode Two, is a free, nationwide event that takes place annually on the Summer Solstice (21 June). The biggest and best stages usually appear on the banks of the Seine, outside the…