Paris has been a lifelong dream for me but it does come with scariness as the only French that we both have taken is in high school. When my husband mentioned that he has a business trip to France, it seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity to go. Even though his work was in Bordeaux, we decided to stay in Paris for three days prior.

Hilton Paris Opera- Day 1

Since we are big walkers, we chose the Hilton Paris Opera which is centrally located and one that offered gluten free breakfast options. It did not disappoint! The rooms were beautiful, newly renovated, and spacious. The lobby had a vintage vibe and it was fun to read the history that it was built for the 1889 World’s Fair. As a history buff, this was a fun tidbit.

The hotel was a short walk to both the Palais Garnier opera house and to some of the best shopping around including Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. I highly recommend going up to their observation deck (it is free!) for some of the best views of Paris. You can also easily walk to the Louvre. Definitely check out this hotel if you are in Paris.

Great Gluten-Free Choices!

Many of the rooms at the Hilton Paris Opera include access to the Concierge lounge. I recommend this upgrade as you have access to breakfast as well as a happy hour that includes wine. It is a nice place to sit and unwind. My husband was able to have gluten free pastries and fruit. They did offer to make him omelets so that is available but he was happy with a lighter fare. I took photos of some of the food choices for the non-Celiac members as well as a photo of my husband’s food (not before he ate two oranges!).

La Crème de Paris Notre-Dame- A wonderful Gluten-Free Gem!

We wanted to try traditional French food for our first meal. I had done research of restaurants around Notre Dame and found a bistro that served both sweet and savory buckwheat waffles. There was a line out the door but it moved quickly and we were impressed with the selection we had. My husband had the egg, ham, and grated emmental buckwheat waffle and said it was really good. If you are in the Notre Dame area, this is a great place to stop! The restaurant was super cute too!

Notre Dame

Definitely make reservations prior as the line outside can get long but Notre Dame is worth the visit. We enjoyed the beautiful artwork, sculptures and beauty in the inside. It is amazing how the restoration was done. You will stand in awe inside and appreciate the craftsmen and builders of the time.

Dinner at Le P’tit Piano

While not a dedicated gluten-free facility, we felt safe at Le P’tit Piano. Our waiter was super knowledgeable and guided my husband towards a gluten free meal. I took a picture of my meal but not his. He was able to have the duck and we felt our server was very knowledgeable of gluten-free. The inside was more casual than I expected from the pictures online but we liked this and it felt like a more authentic non-tourist restaurant. It was a 20 minute walk from our hotel and we really enjoyed the time exploring the city. If you are in Paris, definitely recommend checking out this restaurant for gluten-free options!