There are so many things to see and do in Paris, but after hitting all the top spots, you may be wondering what else you can do in the City of Light. If you love cooking or just love food in general, a cooking class is a good option. For art lovers or those wanting to try their hand at drawing but don’t know how to go about it, I’d recommend taking a drawing class.
Food and art are a big part of joie de vivre, so why not pursue them in Paris where enjoyment of life is so immensely appreciated? For both classes, experience is not required, just a few hours to learn something new and have fun!
Croissant and Breakfast Pastries Class
As a pastry lover, I was extremely happy to get to take my very first pastry class in Paris. Croissants are my favorite breakfast food, so I decided to take a Croissant and Breakfast Pastries class with La Cuisine Paris. The school is situated right on the bank of the Seine River near Hôtel de Ville.
Registering for classes well in advance is highly recommended as they could get booked up fast.
I registered for the class on the school’s website once I got the dates for my trip. The class was three hours and taught in English.
I was there with my mom, and we learned all the steps and techniques involved in making flaky croissants, Pain au Chocolat, and Pain au Raisin. As making croissants takes more than 6 hours, the dough we used in class had been prepared in advance. We got to make the dough but didn’t have to wait for it to rise! After the class, we got to eat these delicious pastries we’d just made.
The school has many other classes, so check it out! On my next trip to Paris, I’m going to try their Baguettes and ‘Boulangerie’ class.
Drawing class
I was looking for things to do in Paris and found this organization – WICE – that offers all kinds of courses in art, culture, language, and writing. Classes are taught in English, but membership is required. If you’re in Paris for only a short period of time, they have a 3-month rate at 25 euros.
The drawing class I was taking was some kind of an on-location urban sketching class. I’m really bad at drawing, but I do it as a way to relax, and this class was perfect for me.
Our class met at the Louvre in the evening when there were not a lot of people and we could sit in front of a piece of art for a long period of time without being interrupted. The Louvre was really peaceful this time of day and I could wander around without running into the crowds.
I live in Virginia, and so I was surprised to learn the teacher was from Virginia where she taught drawing at a university. What a small world!
The class was fun, and I learned a few techniques, like when she asked us to draw without looking at the drawing pad. We basically just looked at what we were drawing and let our eyes guide us so we drew what we saw and not what we thought we saw!
When I go back to Paris, I would definitely try other classes like photography.
Have fun in Paris, you all!