Nine heady novels set in Paris

A city of secrets, seduction and reckless excess...

God, I love Paris. I’ve just come back from a weekend there, and every time I visit, I do my best to look like a roguish flâneur—flouncing around trying to order my coffee in awful French (God loves a trier)—and think, I could live here. Then, every time I take the Eurostar back (there was one particularly unpleasant journey after a writing retreat in a chateau, where I did almost no writing and instead sunbathed topless, smoked like a wench, ate more meat in a week than I had in the last decade and started drinking before midday), I’m reminded that maybe I shouldn’t.

Because if I ever did move to Paris, I’d probably eat and drink so much I’d leave looking like a potato—and likely come home with a broken heart and a UTI from the countless affairs I’d surely have. After all, is there anything more alluring than a French accent and a man with a fag?

I was there for a hen do, but I think I actually drank more after said hen had left. I met two friends for drinks on the rooftop of the hotel I was reviewing, and—while I’m not going to blame the amount I drank entirely on the heat—it wouldn’t be unreasonable to say it was a contributing factor. Later, over supper, I tried to convince one friend that I’d make a suitable Booker Prize judge, while the other (whom I met in Bondi a decade ago) decided it was high time to stitch me up and force me to reveal my rather less sensible side with a story about a grapefruit (iykyk, but I imagine—and hope—most readers definitely don’t), which meant that for the rest of the evening I followed each glass of prosecco with a shot of limoncello (and yes, I know you’re supposed to sip it, but when in Paris, etc. etc.).

Anyway, I digress. Paris really is a place for reckless excess. There are countless books that capture everything the City of Lights is known and loved for—its tangled affairs, seductive charm, and that heady mix of beauty and chaos. From decadent nights to stolen moments in shadowed streets, these stories reveal the magic and madness that make Paris utterly irresistible.

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I try to write as much as I can without a paywall, but it does take time. If you’re enjoying this post, I’d be so grateful if you would consider buying me a prosecco.

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I Love You Too Much by Alicia Drake

Set in the heart of Left Bank Paris, I Love You Too Much by Alicia Drake is a dazzling coming-of-age story and a love letter to the city’s intoxicating, dangerous allure. It follows thirteen-year-old Paul, a lonely boy caught between the glamorous façades of his privileged family and the messy realities beneath. Drake masterfully captures the dizzy spiral of desire and excess that Paris invites, weaving a cruel awakening into the story of growing up in the City of Lights.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

The Elegance of the Hedgehog is a quietly magical Parisian tale that contrasts the city’s glittering façades with the secret lives of its inhabitants. Recommended to me by a man I thought I might marry—though he had other plans I wilfully ignored—Barbery’s novel reveals the beauty in overlooked corners and unexpected friendships. It’s a reflective exploration of class, art, and the small moments of kindness that emerge amid the complexity of Parisian life.

Vernon Subutex by Virginie Despentes

Virginie Despentes’ Vernon Subutex series throws you headfirst into the grittier, darker side of modern Paris. Vernon, once a successful record shop owner, suddenly finds himself homeless and adrift after his shop closes and old friends turn their backs. As Vernon drifts through the city, the series introduces a vivid cast of characters—musicians, activists, social misfits—each grappling with their own struggles in a world that’s shifting beneath their feet. Despentes captures the raw pulse of Parisian life beyond the clichés, showing how even in a city famed for beauty and charm, life can be messy, chaotic, and very unvarnished. The series offers a piercing portrait of excess—social, emotional, existential—and it’s utterly impossible to put down.

The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy

Elaine Dundy’s The Dud Avocado is a hilarious, spirited romp through 1950s Paris, capturing the youthful recklessness and endless possibility the city offers. The story follows a young American woman trying to find her place amid Paris’s whirlwind of romance, ambition, and cultural clashes. Dundy’s light, witty prose brings to life a Paris that’s both intoxicating and absurd, reminding us that the city’s charm often lies in its imperfections and the chaotic adventures it inspires.

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

I came to James Baldwin embarrassingly late in life—and it was only after a very attractive author recommended him (I’m nothing if not consistent) that I finally picked him up (Baldwin, not the author who recommended him). I’ve since read most of his work, but Giovanni’s Room is by far my favourite. It’s a profound and poignant exploration of identity, love, and loneliness, centered on David, an American man grappling with his sexuality while navigating a passionate and turbulent relationship with Giovanni in 1950s Paris. Here, Paris is less postcard-perfect and more shadowed—a place offering both freedom and heartbreak. Baldwin’s beautiful prose perfectly captures the bittersweet ache of forbidden desire and the complicated emotions that come with living honestly in a city full of contradictions.

A Woman’s Life by Guy de Maupassant

In A Woman’s Life, Maupassant paints a somber, intimate portrait of Parisian life, focusing on the quiet struggles and heartbreaks beneath the city’s glamour. The story follows Jeanne, a young noblewoman whose hopes and dreams are gradually worn down by betrayal, loss, and the harsh realities of society. This novel reveals the emotional costs of societal expectations and personal sacrifice, offering a powerful counterpoint to Paris’s dazzling excess.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Okay, I’m admittedly taking some creative liberties including The Age of Innocence here—it’s mostly set in New York, not Paris. But I adore it, and its themes of forbidden desire, societal expectations, and secret affairs perfectly capture the kind of drama that plays out in the City of Lights. Plus, if I remember rightly, there’s a scene or two in Paris that adds a dash of that unmistakable Parisian magic.

Perfume by Patrick Süskind

I read Patrick Süskind’s Perfume while I was working my way through the BBC’s Top 100 Books, and it was one of the novels that made the challenge really worth it. A darkly atmospheric journey through 18th-century France, in Perfume, obsession and sensory excess reign supreme. This novel’s intoxicating descriptions of scent echo the rich experiences Paris is known for—beauty, desire, and danger all mingled in the air. Süskind’s tale of a man driven to madness by his quest to create the perfect perfume is a haunting metaphor for the city’s own seductive power, where pleasure and peril often walk hand in hand.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

No list of Parisian stories would be complete without The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas’ swashbuckling tale of friendship, adventure, and intrigue. Set against the backdrop of 17th-century Paris, it captures the city’s vibrancy and danger, mixing romance and rivalry with the sort of reckless bravado that defines Parisian legend.