For many, Paris is the City of Light, a timeless beacon of romance and culture. For journalist Matt Charlton, however, it was a place of crowded streets, surly service, and a stagnant, museum-like atmosphere—until his fourth visit in January 2026.
Three previous trips had left him cold, with a particularly disastrous ad-hoc visit a decade ago cementing his view. A final straw came when he discovered his return travel plans were scuppered because the driver decided to stay for a rugby match. "We don't talk anymore," Charlton notes. Despite enjoying the occasional galette, Paris felt preserved and lacking vitality.
A Festival of Green and Good Food
The catalyst for his reappraisal was the We Love Green festival. Held in the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th Arrondissement, the event's unique selling point is its exclusively vegetarian food, curated annually by a committee of French food experts. The 2026 line-up featured major acts like Gorillaz, The XX, Hayley Williams, and Little Simz.
Charlton saw this as his 'in'—a chance to meet the individuals behind the stalls and glimpse an alternative Paris. Travelling ecologically via Eurostar from St Pancras, enhanced by the 'suite to seat' service, he arrived at the Gare Du Nord and checked into the Pullman Tour Eiffel. The traditional tourist experience, however, was about to be left behind.
Following the Creative Trail
Seeking an alternative path, Charlton employed a simple but effective technique: typing "Record Stores Near Me" into his phone. This, he argues, leads to neighbourhoods where local culture thrives—non-tourist cafes, small gigs, and artisan shops.
In Montmartre, this led him away from the packed Sacré-Cœur and down picturesque cobbled backstreets to The Beans On Fire for a contemporary pain au chocolat. A barista's recommendation pointed him to Ground Control, a reappropriated industrial space near the festival offering street food and vintage shopping.
At the 150,000-capacity We Love Green festival, the convivial atmosphere rivalled UK festivals like All Points East. The food was a headline act, with Burger D’Amour's mushroom-based offering drawing queues fifty people deep. Speaking to owner Valentine Davas of Le Réfectoire Traiteur, who revealed they made five thousand burgers in five hours, Charlton was tipped off to Le Marche Saint Martin in the 10th.
Further recommendations came from Tariq and Leila, co-founders of La Cuisine De Souad, who served vegan Moroccan cuisine. They directed him to the neighbourhood of Belleville, straddling the 19th and 20th arrondissements, where they had just opened a restaurant.
Uncovering Paris's Hidden Gems
The following day, the record store method led him to Major Tom, part of the Ground Control complex, confirming it as a genuine community hub. The thread continued with a Saint Ouen Flea Market Guided Tour led by jazz singer Ehran, winding through a graffitied maze of vintage and antique stalls.
A stark contrast came with a morning attempt to visit the Musee D’Orsay, which induced a near panic attack in the ram-packed Van Gogh rooms. Retreating back to the alternative, Charlton took the metro to Belleville. He found an area reminiscent of London's Shoreditch or Manchester's Northern Quarter, full of colourful graffiti, boutiques, and youthful energy.
The journey culminated at the Belvédère de Belleville, one of the highest viewpoints over Paris. Among an open-air pavilion with a broken tile mosaic acting as a viewfinder, the panorama of the Pompidou, Notre Dame, and Tour Montparnasse unfolded. Here, at a safe distance from the traditional tourist crush, Charlton finally found the vibrant, friendly, and tasty Paris that had eluded him for so long.
"Fourth time lucky, I guess," he concludes. His trip was supported by We Love Green, Eurostar, GoCity, Marriott, and Accor, but the discovery was entirely his own.
