What better city to begin a wine bar series in than the capital of the world’s greatest winemaking country? For sure, France’s finest wines are produced in its eastern and southern regions (hello, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Côtes du Rhône), but wine culture is truly an integral part of Parisian life. In even the most unassuming of the city’s corners, you have only to walk for a minute or two to find a quaint little marchand de vin brimming with local wines. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself at a French dinner party, you can be sure you’ll be trying some of the best wine you’ve had in a long time. And as the weather warms up, it is a Parisian rite of passage for friends to picnic with wine, bread and cheese on the newly-accessible lawns of the city’s parks (yes, it is illegal to step on them the rest of the year). But perhaps the finest element of Parisian wine culture is its array of splendid wine bars. From the sleek and sophisticated O Chateau to the iconic Le Fumoir and the merry hole-in-the-wall Chez Georges, there’s a Paris wine bar to suit all tastes.

Nestled away down a surprisingly quiet street right in the city center, Le Garde Robe is a charming little caviste shop-meets-bar. Space is tight and the atmosphere is jovial, as Parisians drop in to pick up a bottle for dinner time, or huddle around the bar or a little table to savor a local cheese plate and whichever wine their knowledgeable waiter can suggest that evening. Down the pretty rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the second arrondissement, O Chateau is an oh-so-chic wine bar that truly knows its stuff. Head there for a casual glass of wine or three, or even enrol in one of their wine-tasting classes held in their cool stone cave (cellar). Classes are held in English and will give you a greater understanding of the French wine world- plus a glass of white, red and rosé to “sample”. Luxe, low-lit and sophisticated, Le Fumoir is a veritable Paris institution. A hop, skip and a jump from the Louvre, right near the Seine river, this bar is one of the most perfectly located places to indulge in a glass of fine French wine.

You can dine as well, though my best friend and I developed an expensive but exquisite tradition of sharing a cheese plate and a bottle of rouge each Thursday evening; their selection never disappoints. A far cry from the sleek surrounds of O Chateau or Le Fumoir, Chez Georges is a vibrant hole-in-the-wall down one of the windier streets of the Latin Quarter. Guaranteed to be bustling with young Paris locals on the weekend, Chez Georges sports tiling and décor from its 1950s origins, a tiny, rickety staircase and a small but trustworthy (and cheap!) wine list. Settle down at a tiny corner table with some rouge, baguette and cornichons and watch the Paris evening float by. In the shadow of French theatre favorite Le Théâtre d’Odéon, on the edges of the revered district of St Germain des Prés, lies the famed Le Comptoir du Relais, a traditional French restaurant attached to the Hôtel le Relais. Le Comptoir is great, but I far prefer its little carriage bar next door, L’Avant Comptoir.

No, there are no seats, but this little gem is a great place to congregate with good company to sip wine and sample French tapas at the comptoir, or countertop bar. 7 Awesome Apps For Exploring Australia Tourism Like A Local 6 Best Apps for Finding Authentic Travel Experiences Must-Savor Ethical Chocolate Indulgences For Valentine’s Dayred wine glass shades Budget Travel: 6 Best Apps For Scoring Cheap Flightsgood wine to gift someoneThese Apps Will Help You Plan A Memorable Tripmost expensive wine to buyIt’s 10:00 p.m. on a Thursday night, and chef Pierre Touitou is just putting the finishing touches on a collection of plates, piling salmon roe and capers atop thinly sliced cured whitefish. best wines in bc 2015

At the bar in front of him, a pair of Norwegians are twirling saucy bucatini on their forks, washing it down with a fresh, light Pinot Noir from Alsace. A few seats over, a group of Americans wait for Pierre—he won’t let you call him “Chef,” refuting its sense of hierarchy—to bellow out that their course is ready. best white wine with salmonMeanwhile, they pass around the lemony, bright, sulfur-free Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine they are drinking. where to buy flip flop wineOn the speaker system, Blondie is blasting, and a French woman walks in dancing, shaking every bone in her body because she’s just finished a 10-hour shift at a restaurant down the street.This is Vivant Cave, a tiny gem of a restaurant in the 10th Arrondissement of Paris, and one of a smattering of Right Bank eateries where locals know they can find creative dishes, chug funky, eclectic natural wine, and just be themselves.

There’s no pretension at these forward-thinking bistros, where Parisians and international visitors raise their glasses without snobbism, and after service, they close the doors and let loose.The bistronomie has overtaken Paris, and it means not only a lot of fun, but excellent, light food: The ingredients are meticulously sourced, the wine bottles have cute labels with the words sans soufre—“low sulfur.” And while the plating may display artistry, the overall atmosphere is bare bones, with perhaps a chalkboard sufficing as a menu. These places collectively animate the lifestyles of young Parisians today—not the boring, sauce-heavy brasseries, or the expensive, Michelin-starred restaurants where every meal is a multicourse affair.The roots of the bistronomie movement are found at a tiny but legendary restaurant located along the Canal St-Martin. A sign greets you outside Le Verre Volé, reading in English: “Verre Volé is not a wine bar.” Come here to experience a spectacular meal, not just to sip some boring red wine, is the message—but Verre Volé actually started out as a wine bar and shop combined;

the kitchen was added later. Cyril Bordarier opened it in 2000 after tasting an organically made wine from Domaine Gramenon, in the Rhône Valley, that convinced him of natural wine’s merits. Verre Volé became one of the first places in Paris to sell the wines of Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Yvon Métras, and the pair known as Dard and Ribo—all regarded today as iconic natural winemakers. Sixteen years later, the restaurant is busy at lunch and dinner every day of the week (in Paris, they call this 7/7—open seven out of seven days, not very common). On Sunday nights, industry folks gather at Verre Volé to enjoy their night off with a good bottle of Chenin Blanc. From a tiny kitchen in the center of the dining room, dishes like fried duck hearts and shells-on shrimp deliver enormous flavor and beg to be washed down with the best juice possible—at Verre Volé, it’s possible to find rare and expensive bottles from cult-y French winemakers.To drink and dine in Paris like a local, you have to experience the relaxed but also very gourmet bistronomie culture, where every night has the potential to shift into a convivial party if the mood is right.

If reservations are accepted, make one; these spots are popular among internationals as well as Parisians, and seating is limited, as well. In addition to Vivant Cave and Verre Volé, here are a few places not to be missed during your next visit to the French capital:Au PassageRomance, ambience, and electric energy. It’s all at Au Passage. Here’s how this place works: Either you make a res for the 7:30 p.m. seating, or you show up around 8:30 and wait outside, on the cobblestone street, letting the hunger rise until tables open up for the second seating, which is not reserved. Au Passage is best for groups, as small plates are served, and don’t expect to have a quiet conversation in the tightly packed, raucous space. Come ready for flavor rather than starving for a large meal—the portions are small but so beautifully prepared that you will enjoy every bite. Au Passage has a long zinc bar that’s ideal for dining alongside a friend or solo; the bar has the additional benefit of being right near the massive wheels of cheese, which you must order to finish your meal, to be washed down with a smoky, oxidative wine.

Le 6 Paul BertHere, you can design a menu for sharing, or do the more classic starter-and-main thing; there are even signature French dishes like ris de veau (veal sweetbreads—breaded and lightly fried, so amazing with white wine) on the menu. But mostly you’ll find ambitious, seasonal plates, prepared within view in the open kitchen. The extensive wine list doesn’t have a lot of description to help novices, but luckily, you can just tell your server what you’re in the mood for or ask to be surprised, and he or she will find you a great bottle. No website for this one; the address is easy, though: 6 Rue Paul Bert. Closed Sunday.Le DauphinThe chic, ultra-modernist marble-and-glass–filled space at this casual restaurant from chef Iñaki Aizpitarte was designed by no less than the world-famous architect Rem Koolhaas, with French architect Clément Blanchet. Come here for an unforgettable meal of Japanese-inflected small plates from one of Paris’s most acclaimed chefs and natural wines.

bar is walk-in only. Closed Sunday and Monday.BuvettePut on your best French-girl look of mussed-up hair, vintage jeans, and good shoes and head over to the hip and rugged neighborhood Pigalle, where the brightly lit Buvette invites you to enjoy waffles and scones by morning, cocktails and creative dishes by night. The curving marble bar, exposed brick walls, and latte art all make for some very Instagrammable scenery. Owner Jody Williams—who first opened a Buvette in New York before deciding to launch one in her preferred overseas city—calls the restaurant a “gastrothèque,” essentially a take on bistronomie. Try the iconic mayo-free chicken salad with haricots verts to experience the fresh style of cooking here. ClamatoThe most difficult time to get into the seafood-focused, much adored Clamato, which takes no reservations, is Sunday night—because it’s one of the few places of its ilk open on this evening. Fortunately, nearby Septime Cave (see below) is also open on Sunday, so your general plan is: Show up at Clamato around 7, get your name on the list, cross the street to the hole-in-the-wall natural wine spot Septime Cave (both Clamato and Septime Cave come from young chef Bertrand Grébaut, of the Michelin-starred bistro Septime), have a few glasses of fizzy