The fatal flaw of beautiful, cultural, foodie cities is that you're never alone in wanting to visit them. And, really, nothing ruins a spectacular view faster than being surrounded by thousands of iPhones open to Instagram.
Paris receives 30 million visitors a year and anyone who's been to the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame knows that you'll barely hear a French voice within a one-mile radius of either. But getting a taste of Parisians' Paris isn't as difficult as you'd think - it simply requires swapping the banks of the Seine and the hills of Montmartre for some of the grittier, less traditional locations.
While your guide book might tell you about a quaint cafe in St Germain, a glamorous bar on Avenue Montaigne or a smart restaurant on Ile Saint Louis, these aren't the arrondissements young Parisians are spending their evenings in. And, really, who would you rather have dinner next to-a group of beautifully dressed locals or yet another English-speaking couple struggling their way through a French menu?