A Break at Pont Marie

Sunset time varies so much by season that it's hard to fix the order of this stop and the dinner stop. Rather than set it in stone, check when the sun goes down and plan accordingly. This stop covers two cafés, and one of them looks far better in daylight. If the sun sets early, come here first and have dinner afterward; if it sets late, you can eat first. Just keep each café's opening hours in mind.

The first is La Caféothèque, which was briefly recommended at the end of the KB Café section. Its cappuccino is seriously rich and delicious, and it may be the café your guide has visited most in Paris. It even runs classes, which says a lot about how serious it is about coffee. It sells beans and a few light desserts too; the desserts were just okay, but the beans come in a huge variety. She used to love acidic Kenyan beans, but coffee tastes change with time and age, and these days she's drawn to nuttier flavors, so she bought Guatemalan beans here and enjoyed them. French cafés generally close early; apart from Starbucks, most shut around 6 or 7 p.m. Even Starbucks closes relatively early. This café stays open until 8 p.m., a bit later than most. If you come after dinner you may be cutting it close, so hurry, or grab a takeaway coffee and drink it by the Seine.

The second is the Péniche Marcounet, on the banks of the Seine. It really is prettier in daylight. At night, the colorful lights make it feel a touch tacky, but by day it has a different charm. Your guide's Instagram post about it drew a huge response and lots of questions. She'd wanted to keep it as her own secret hideaway, but good things are better shared, so here it is. It's a boat-shaped restaurant that, from May to October, runs as an outdoor bar from daytime into the evening. The one she recommends is the outdoor bar, not the indoor restaurant. It's a shame it only operates in summer, but if you're visiting then, she especially recommends it. The atmosphere is great, and there are often free music performances, so you may catch one if you're lucky. She did recently by chance and loved it. On a scorching day, a cold beer here melts her stress away.

If beer isn't your thing, try a French beer cocktail. The Monaco is beer mixed with lemonade and grenadine (pomegranate syrup), and it tastes like a soft drink. Even if it isn't on the menu, they'll often make it if you ask. Its frequent companion is the Panaché, which tastes like lemon beer; supermarkets sell plenty of non-alcoholic versions, and it can be hard to find elsewhere, so it's worth a try.