It should be a cliché, but it’s not—it’s one of the best cafes in Paris. Inspired by the 1938 Marcel Carne movie of the same name, Hôtel du Nord wears a trio of Parisian stereotypes—a green facade, sidewalk terrace, all the comestibles and coffee in the world—and still remains a prime people-watching hot spot, just opposite the Canal Saint Martin.

Bohemian by day, swankier by night, with a bunch of locals and creatives thrown into the mix, the cafe is the perfect reprieve for a four-hour lunch or a post-dinner drink. Inside, there is a small biblioteque, wood bar and a more formal dining area serving cod en papillote and a good Millefeuille du Thon.