Beyond the Eiffel: How a Bike, Cheese, and a Cricket Bar Changed My Paris

When most people think of Paris, cultural attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre come to mind. While both sights are undeniably impressive, my Paris adventure explored places that were more tucked away from the usual tourist crowd. On a bike tour cruising along the famous Banks of the Seine, I found myself fascinated not only by the history reflected in the evolution of monuments but also by the unhurried pace of Parisian routines.

I came to realize that a bike tour gives you the city at the right speed. It’s fast enough to cover more ground than walking. It’s slow enough to actually see and experience Paris life. By the end of it I added a few more things to my Paris bucket list that weren’t there when I woke up that morning.

As we pedaled through the arrondissements we made stops at small side street shops. There we bought foods we were going to have during our picnic at the end of the tour: meats, cheese, baguette, and chocolate-covered crickets. A cheese shop called Fromagerie Laurent Dubois changed my life and made me scrap anything I ever thought I knew about cheese, which was already very little. The cheese was matured and melts in your mouth, getting more and more tasty with every bite. I thought, is this what cheese is supposed to taste like?

Then came the picnic by the Seine, across the river from Notre Dame. Our guide laid out the meats, cheeses, and baguettes and said, “do not eat this like a sandwich.” I thought, “well how am I supposed to eat it?” Apparently, the Paris way is to tear a piece of baguette, break off a piece of cheese or meat (or both), and put it in your mouth along with the bread. Anyway, it was a good sandwich, and the majestic southern flank of Notre-Dame in the background created the perfect atmosphere for this brunch. I didn’t forget the chocolate-covered cricket bar, Kinjao Super-Barre. I was nervous but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to tell my future grandkids that I ate a bug bar in Paris. It tasted like one of those dry, high-fiber vegan chocolate bars that you only eat because someone told you it's good for you. It wasn't terrible.

I thought I burned enough calories on the bike tour to justify anything I wanted to eat that day. I said this will be the way I learn a city from now on. For me, the true essence of Paris is found beyond the Eiffel Tower in the hidden places. Paris has its monuments, and they are worth seeing. But the day I remember is the one where I realized sandwiches are taboo and bugs don’t taste bad.