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Samara Jacobovitz – travel blogger

Every other week, Discover Walks will share with some great insight from Travel bloggers from around the world who fell in love with Paris. They will share their favorites addresses and things to do while in Paris. Because genuine advice and stories are so important to us, in addition to our born-and-raised Parisian tour stories, we now bring you real advice from fellow travelers.

Bonjour Samara, can you tell us more about who you are?

My name is Samara, I am 25 years old, and I was born in Montreal, Canada. I left Montreal when I was 5 years old and spent my childhood moving around to various different countries before finally becoming American in 2014, so I consider myself more American than Canadian.

Photo credit: http://www.ourparisstories.com/

Why did you start writing ?

I started working for Savoir Faire Paris in 2015, under expat Sasha Romary and took over the company mid-2016. While we are primarily a concierge service, the blog has always been a very important piece of our company. Whether you live in Paris or are visiting, you always want the best and most up to date information about the city from a local’s perspective, which is exactly the type of content we produce.

Why did you start traveling?

I started traveling from very young, as my parents moved us around for my father’s job in pharmaceuticals. I lived in Montreal, Toronto, Basel Switzerland, San Jose Costa Rica, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Washington DC, before ending up in Paris (for the moment!). I think my childhood is what gave me wanderlust, every year I try to travel to at least 2 new cities and 2 old cities I’ve already been to. I love learning new languages, being immersed in new cultures, trying new foods, and experiencing new customs. One of my favorite things about traveling is learning some basic phrases in the local language and being able to use them by the end of the trip.

What’s special about your blog?

What’s special about our blog is that absolutely everything we list has been personally tested and approved by one of our staff. We try to avoid publishing the same information that you’ll find in a guide book and instead share our insider, local advice, activities, etc. Thanks to our various partnership deals we can also provide exclusive discounts on services such as tours, restaurants, athletic classes, etc.

What would be your top 3 things to do in Paris?

• Take a guided tour of the markets. Such an important part of understanding French culture is understanding the food. (Why do the French eat frog legs? What is the difference between paté and terrine?)
• Have a picnic along the river on the ÃŽle Saint Louis. My favorite spot is at the corner of the Quai d’Orléans and rue Boutarel where you get a gorgeous view of Notre Dame.
• Spend a few hours on a terrace doing some people watching. For a really local feel and to get the best people watching, my favorites are Chez Josephine in the 4th arrondissement, Au Rêve in the 18th arrondissement, and Le Dôme in the 17th.

Your Top 3 good addresses in Paris?

• Uptown. 18 Rue Francoeur, 75018
• Ellsworth. 34 Rue de Richelieu, 75001
• Blueberry. 6 Rue du Sabot, 75006

Your favorite landmark in Paris?

I could never choose just one! The Rodin Museum and the Jardin du Palais Royal are two of my favorites. Sometimes life in Paris can get rather crazy, with the frustrating administrative procedures and insane traffic, the Rodin Museum and Jardin du Palais Royal both maintain that calm, picture-perfect, idealized image of Paris.

What is your favorite neighborhood in Paris?

My favorite neighborhood is the Caulaincourt side of Montmartre. The tourists tend to stick to the other side of the Sacré Cœur, around Abbesses, so the north/Caulaincourt side feels local and classic at the same time.

Photo credit: http://www.ourparisstories.com/

Could you give us your recommendation to first timers in Paris?

Everyone wants to see the best views of Paris. Instead of going up the Eiffel Tower, go up to the Printemps rooftop or the Musée du Quai Branly for fewer tourists and gorgeous views, unobstructed by selfie-sticks.

Thank you so much Samara, keep on enjoying Paris!

Merci beaucoup :-)