Perfect Yoga Day: 5e arrondissement
A creative and mindful itinerary for a Perfect Yoga Day in Paris, France
To complement our profile of Rasa Yoga from earlier this week, we’re sticking to the 5e.
👉 This is a long post so make sure you press SEE ENTIRE MESSAGE (email) to get the full scoop.
Most boutique tours of Paris are exclusive i.e. they are designed to keep people out. Perfect Yoga Day is the opposite: created to include people of all stripes and budgets, Perfect Yoga Day is an open-minded, walkable guide that maps out an ideal post-practice itinerary with our picks to keep inspiration and good vibes going all afternoon.
PERFECT YOGA DAY: 5e ARRONDISSEMENT EDITION
Begin with yoga: Rasa Yoga Rive Gauche
I recommend Shane Phillips’ Iyengar classes. In classic BKS and Geeta Iyengar style, Shane will chastise you if your front knee is not bent at a 90° angle in Vira 2 (“What are you waiting for? Knee at 90°. That’s the pose!”), but he can be quite funny and his propping directions are very clear. If, however, you’re not in the mood for this type of instruction, I hear good things about Marion Sebih’s Kundalini class which takes place just before Shane’s on Thursdays.
Time to refuel: Chanceux
After class, grab your things and head to this breakfast-lunch-goûter café on rue Galande for a bite to eat. Their sandwiches tick our favorite savory boxes (salt, fat, acid, crunch) and there’s always a vegetarian option or two. Chanceux’s bonkers Basque hazelnut slab gets a special shout-out: it’s the kind of cookie squirrels dream about 🐿️
Feast for the eyes: Librairie Michael Seksik (opens at 14h30)
Skip Shakespeare & Co (love it but ugh, crowds 😬) and its café which is an outpost of Bob’s Bake Shop (good but the prices are too high for the portions and ugh, crowds 😬), and instead take a little walk over to Librairie Michael Seksik. This bookshop specializes in graphic art, illustration, poster design, photography, exhibition catalogs, vintage books and curios… a very inspiring, and tempting, browse. Michael is kooky and knowledgeable, exactly what you want in a bookseller who’s an expert in his field.
Caffeinate: Crible Coffee
Pause for a spell at this specialty coffee spot. This pocket café pulls an excellent espresso and offers treats baked up by the husband-and-wife duo known as Norton of Paris (if you didn’t have room for the squirrel nut job at Chanceux, now’s the time to sample one of Norton of Paris’ cookies.) There are only enough seats at Crible for a handful of butts so if there’s nowhere to sit, take your coffee à emporter and go for a walk.
Stroll or gambol: Jardin des Plantes
Even in Winter, the Jardin des Plantes is a beautiful way to spend an afternoon. The greenhouses are transporting and house all manner of plants (even a coffee plant or two!) Highly recommend you duck in there or walk a little further to the Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie. The enormous stones, minerals and quartz are said to impart energy so if it’s positive vibes you’re after, this is the place to immerse.
If tea is more your speed: La Grande Mosquée de Paris
If you’re a lady and you’d rather wind down your Perfect Yoga Day with an afternoon of lazing about, zig-zag over to La Grande Mosquée de Paris for a schvitz. Entrance with towel and tea is 30€ and you can add on services if you need to be kneaded. Note: there are chic-er hammams in Paris (Pacha, Les Bains du Marais, Maison Alaena. O’Kari…) but this one is low-key, perfectly dans son jus, and you don’t need a reservation. You can also enjoy the Mosquée fully clothed in their salon de thé which welcomes everyone and has a full menu of noshes (highly recommend a mint tea accompanied by a makrout).
A little shopping for wee ones: l’Épée de Bois
You have to appreciate a fanatically-edited toy shop like this one which sells only things 1) made of wood and 2) made in Europe. The store is enchanting and replete with games, stuffies, puppets, crafts and children’s costumes at all price points.
Apéro and wind down: Caluche
If you’re done with kid stuff, walk one minute over to Caluche, a café and wine bar that has all-day service and a menu of classic and gently tweaked snacks and dishes (even vegetarian things.) They’ve been covered by Le Fooding as well as Paris by Mouth, so it’s not exactly secret. That said, go early before it’s rotten with hipsters 😂
If you have favorite spots or other sneaky tips in the 5e or in any other arrondissement, please share them in the Comments! This is a collaborative project meant to broaden the definition of what makes a Perfect Yoga Day in Paris.
Perfect Yoga Day is *not* sponsored content. All of the recommendations were tested, vetted and paid for by Do Yoga in Paris; nothing was comped.
I love this!! And +1 shoutout to Shane’s warrior cues 😂😂
LOVE this new feature!! ♥️