Rosa Bonheur Bar / Café / Tavern

19eme, Paris –

A rustic tavern in the middle of the woods in Buttes-Chaumont Park, Rosa Bonheur – named for a 19th-century painter famed for her massive animal paintings, as well as (gasp!) wearing trousers and smoking cigarettes – has kept the eccentric spirit of its namesake alive, catering to a casual crowd of local bohemians and hipsters.

Reached by a leafy path leading directly to its doors, the breezy wood-and-glass café draws groups of friends and joggers by day that gather on outdoor picnic tables to admire the view or just take their goodies and sprawl on the grass for an impromptu picnic.

Long white tables and benches in the dining room – charmingly offset by pink and green accents, chalkboard menus, and abstract art – provide plenty of space for the chatty patrons to nibble on pâté over a pitcher of sangria or a bottle of champagne.

Once the park closes, the café puts on its party face and uncorks the wine as DJs get the boisterous mix of gay and straight hipsters on their feet for a brief but wild time on the dance floor.

An oasis of cool set within an actual oasis, Rosa Bonheur is a cabin in the woods that nobody should be afraid to knock on.