The Paris Plan’s year truly flew by, and as we head into a fresh new one, we wanted to take a moment to say a heartfelt merci.
Thank you to our guests for opening their doors, sharing their stories, and inspiring us. Thank you to the behind-the-scenes Paris Plan team and supporters (merci beacoup!). And, bien sûr, thank you to you (!) our audience. In 2025, The Paris Plan YouTube Channel passed one million views and we appreciate your enthusiasm.
Here’s a look at our adventures from 2025.
First, our video highlights are here.
🎬 Paris Cinema
We began the year with film director Elise McLeod, who shared five of her favourite Paris cinemas—a fitting theme as Ruby was simultaneously finishing her next book, The Movie Lover’s Guide to Paris, now on pre-sale and releasing in early 2026.
We continued our cinema theme with our friend, actor James Gerard, who took us through some of his favourite filming locations in Paris and spoke about his acting career and roles he has played on screen.
Another iconic cinema highlight was our visit to Le Grand Rex, the world’s largest cinema, which opened in 1930. Guide Franck Vernon gave us a private tour, including a visit to the rooftop for sensational views over Paris. The venue has recently been in the spotlight after Hugh Jackman raved about it following his Song Sung Blue premiere with Kate Hudson.
📚 Books, Paris Stories & Literary Culture
When the weather was cold, we turned to books. We visited one of our favourite bookshops in Paris, The Red Wheelbarrow, where the lovely Natasha recommended novels set in Paris that transport readers around the globe. Ruby also signed copies of her travel guide The Architecture Lover’s Guide to Paris, available in-store. Merci to Natasha and owner Dorothy.
🍽️ Paris Food, Cooking & Dining Experiences
We warmed up further with a cooking class at Alain Ducasse’s Paris Studio, where we cooked lunch, shared the meal with fellow students, and chatted with chef Lucas—a fantastic experience to try on your next Paris trip.
We explored classic French cuisine with Egg Mayonnaise, one of France’s most traditional entrées—so important it even has an association dedicated to keeping it on French menus. We interviewed restaurateur Édouard Larre, learned his personal recipe, and stayed for dinner.
Near the Arc de Triomphe, celebrity chef Jean Romy opened a refined Caribbean fine dining restaurant. We interviewed the chef-restaurateur, stepped into the kitchen for tips, and stayed on for a delicious tasting menu.
Not far from Montmartre, we visited Anona, a Michelin-starred restaurant that also holds a Green Michelin Star. Ruby interviewed owner and chef Thibaut Spiwack, and we stayed for a creative, sustainable lunch.
🧀 Cheese, Markets & Eating Our Way Around Paris
The cheese was so good at La Fromagerie on Île Saint-Louis that we returned—this time to explore the Cheese Museum, guided by director Guillaume Gaubert, finishing with a cheese tasting in the cellar. A must-do Paris experience.
All this reporting gave us an appetite, so we ate our way through Biltoki International Food Court, just outside central Paris. Ruby chatted with vendors serving everything from fresh oysters to mezze, burritos, Caribbean burgers, and merguez hot dogs. Somehow, we still found room for a pasty from award-winning Nina Métayer and a Lebanese flan—then digested with a massage from Nomad masseuses working on site.
🎷 Jazz, Music & Live Performance in Paris
We explored Paris’s jazz heritage at Caveau de la Huchette, which opened as a jazz club in 1946. Jazz took hold in Paris thanks to American soldiers and African American musicians and dancers, including Count Basie, Sydney Bechet, Lionel Hampton, and Jimmy Slide. Today, it’s the place for young travellers discovering jazz. We interviewed owners Didier and Dany Doriz, musicians Philippe Petit and Wendy Lee Taylor, and took you along to a concert.
In Montmartre, we met jazz musician Billy Collins at Cave Café, home of The Paris Tap Crew’s monthly jam, to share tips on where to hear great live jazz every night of the week.
We also joined Franco-Algerian diva Samira Brahmia at her mesmerising concert at Studio L’Ermitage in Ménilmontant. In an intimate interview, she spoke about her influences and challenges—and even serenaded us with her powerful voice.
We attended the launch concert of The Tommy Crystal Band at Supersonic in Bastille and chatted with the band after the show.
👗 Style, Packing & Shopping in Paris
For visitors wondering what to pack, we welcomed Athina Antarakis, the queen of wardrobe cleanses, who shared five things to pack for a trip to Paris. She helped us prepare for short and longer stays, and later joined us for second-hand bargain shopping (stay tuned!).
🌿 Vegetarian & Everyday Eating in Paris
Paris is improving, but it isn’t always easy for vegetarians. Elise McLeod returned to share five Paris restaurants she loves that cater for both vegetarians and meat-eaters.
🏘️ Paris Neighbourhoods & Hidden Gems
We explored Butte-aux-Cailles, a charming village-like quartier in the 13th arrondissement, diving into its history, street art, and must-visit spots.
In autumn, Ruby took you on a backstreet street art tour of Belleville, pointing out favourite artworks, cheap eateries, viewpoints, and cobbled lanes. You can book a tour by emailing [email protected], or read more in The Art Lover’s Guide to Paris.
As Paris warmed up, Louise Prichard (Loulabelle) from Loulabelle’s FrancoFiles podcast joined us for a stroll through her favourite neighbourhood, Île Saint-Louis—visiting the church, a fromagerie, florist, Afghan rug store, and dining on snails and French onion soup at Le Régis.
🎢 Day Trips & Family Fun
We spent a fun-filled day at Parc Astérix, enjoying rollercoasters, live shows, and a visit from Idéfix (aka Dogmatix)—a great day trip from Paris for all ages.
🎥 Festivals, Exhibitions & Special Events
May is one of our favourite months, and we spent most of it on the French Riviera covering the Festival de Cannes. We brought you daily posts and stories, including:
- Tom Cruise’s red carpet opening of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
- An exclusive report on Cate Blanchett’s press conference supporting displaced filmmakers
- An exclusive interview with award-winning Australian cinematographer Dion Beebe, recipient of the prestigious Angénieux Cinema Lenses Award
- The Palm Dog Awards and much more
We also attended the opening of Trent Mitchell’s Australian Lustre exhibition at the Australian Embassy, interviewing the photographer about the inspiration behind his road-trip photo book.
🌊 Travel Beyond Paris
In August, we headed south to explore Toulon, enjoy swimming and waterfront strolls in Sanary-sur-Mer, and go bike riding and bushwalking in the surrounding countryside.
Throughout the year, our Daily Paris series sent you to concerts, museums, festivals, cafés, restaurants, art openings, and day trips—sharing everyday Paris inspiration for visitors and locals alike.
🎉 Milestones & Daily Paris
September marked The Paris Plan’s first birthday, where we reminisced on highlights from Season One.
❤️ Merci & À Bientôt
So merci—to every guest, collaborator, supporter, and viewer who made 2025 such a memorable year for The Paris Plan.
We’d love you to let us know in the YouTube comments which videos and guests are your favourites! You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook & TikTok.
Grab your copies (paperback or e-book) of Ruby’s European guidebooks here, or from your favourite bookseller.
We wish you a wonderful 2026, and we hope to see you again very soon.
À bientôt!
