5 Healthy Paris Hot Spots
Until recently, practical guides celebrating the lifestyle and beauty routines of French women lacked details about detox juicing and meditation routines. This was easily explained by the fact that most French women did not have them– favoring instead the leisurely routine of drinking red wine at dinner.
French women were famous for not gaining weight despite the recklessness with which they consume foie gras and cheese; they are not known for their balanced chakras or deep knowledge about the difference between kale and chard.
But Paris, which has never been associated with fitness centers or green juices, is now seeing the rise of booming wellness industry that mimics what is now standard in New York and LA.
Here are six new healthy, nature-inspired places worthy of exploration.
Studio Modo Yoga
Cult hot yoga studio Modo Yoga has finally come to Paris, setting up shop in a studio on Boulevard Richard Lenoir. Also known as Moksha Yoga across the Atlantic, Modo Yoga is a concept that integrates the idea of caring for the environment.
The Modo community is committed to using only non-toxic, low-impact, and renewable products– and Modo Yoga Paris is the only one of all hot yoga studios in France to adopt an eco-friendly mission.
Studio Modo Yoga, 21 Boulevard Richard Lenoir, 75011 Paris
Balzac’s Home Garden
In the heart of the old village of Passy, in the chic district of La Muette, Balzac’s pretty home (and its garden) is open for visitors. Only regulars from the 16th arrondissement of the capital, or those who love literature, know this garden. And with good reason: you still have to climb several stairs and admire the Eiffel Tower for a while before entering the Balzac House Garden, which is a hidden green space approximating 650 square meters.
Small but very green, Balzac’s garden has been having a renaissance among those seeking green solace in the City of Love. Nowadays, it’s composed of a large lawn– pleasant and perfect for those who wish to have a picnic– and is constantly blooming with boxwood, roses, and vines. It’s an ideal place to read, picnic, or meditate in seclusion.
Balzac Garden, 47 Rue Raynouard, 75016 Paris
Chez Simone
Chez Simone is one of the most impressive modern community spaces we’ve seen– in Europe or elsewhere. A mix of co-working spaces, workshop space, a gym, and a restaurant define the space, which is more private and feels much cooler than, say, a yoga studio-meets-cage. Imagine a chic apartment in the heart of Paris that offers a complete program of exercise classes (yoga, pilates, dance, etc) in small group settings, as well as 15 minute drop-in spa treatments, a healthy Peruvian-inspired cafe, and a co-working space all in one. Ultimately, Chez Simone is all about wellness and empowerment– “Eating well, moving well, living well” is their motto. Think of it as Paris’ answer to The Wing, if The Wing was about wellness.
Chez Simone, 140 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Catherine Dupuch
Massages, relaxation, and other energy work abounds in Paris, but none are as bespoke and seemingly in sync with nature as Catherine Dupuch. In her salon du Marais, Dupuch prepares personalized flower elixirs that address mood ailments and other psychological aspects of wellbeing. A must for any visitor or local seeking respite in a calm environment.
Catherine Dupuch, 10 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75003 Paris
Joseph-Migneret’s Garden
Also known as “The Garden of the Roses,” this vegetable enclosure is the result of an assemblage of three gardens behind a set of private mansions on rue des Francs-Bourgeois.
It took all the ingenuity of its designer and landscaper to assemble the private gardens of three private mansions and to open them up to the public. While preserving the intimacy of the different spaces, this haven of accessible greenery includes one green carpet reserved for children’s games and a shaded fig tree grove. A third plot, more luminous and unobstructed, hosts a perfectly maintained flower garden.
Joseph-Migneret’s Garden, 35-37 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75004 Paris
Read our recap of the 11 Best Vegan Restaurants in Paris, or check out our compilation of Paris’s Most Romantic Hotels. Need some rest and relaxation? Here’s where Paris’s finest go for a spa day.
