Established in 1999, the Secrets of Paris is one of the oldest independent and locally-owned websites about Paris in English. Almost three decades later, there are hundreds of websites, blogs and social media accounts about Paris. What’s rare now is not information, but judgment.
This site exists to provide clear, first-hand, independent reporting about Paris without hype, advertisements, sponsors, or pressure to perform for algorithm trends. Grounded in reporting, observation, and lived experience, it’s written for people who want to understand Paris as a real place, not consume it as a product.
Today, it’s a trusted reference for alternative news, original feature stories, useful sightseeing advice, reviews and recommendations, and insider information about Paris for visitors, repeat travelers, and residents.
How It Started
Secrets of Paris was created by me, Heather Stimmler, an American-born journalist living in France since 1995.
I didn’t set out to become a travel writer. I studied journalism and environmental policy, with an interest in public service, transparency, and how information shapes real-world decisions. When I began writing about Paris in the late 1990s, there were only a handful of English-language resources about the city. What existed was often superficial, promotional, or simply wrong.
So I started publishing what I wished had existed: reporting based on first-hand experience, careful observation, and accountability to readers rather than advertisers.
From 1999 to 2016, I worked full-time as a professional travel writer, guidebook author, and Paris-based tour guide. During those fourteen years of guiding, I spent thousands of hours walking the city with visitors and residents, answering real questions, seeing where the usual travel advice succeeded…and where it failed. That period shaped not just my knowledge of Paris, but my understanding of how people experience it differently depending on context, expectations, and access to information.
In 2016, I chose to step away from commercial tourism work to focus professionally on media and communications in the non-profit environmental sector, a field more closely aligned with my training in journalism and environmental policy. Secrets of Paris continues alongside that work, not as a business built on volume or trend-chasing, but as an independent editorial project guided by the same standards I apply to all journalism: first-hand reporting, context, accountability, and respect for the place and people being written about.
Paris is still my home, and as a dual citizen of the US and France I’m conscious of my role as a cross-cultural ambassador. So you’ll find in-depth articles that help foster greater understanding of Paris, Parisians, and French culture rather than click bait that uses tired stereotypes, misleading headlines or outright fake news to stir up outrage.
What You’ll Find Here
Paris is an exceptional city in many ways, but it’s a city like any other with its good and bad points. Instead of telling visitors what they “must” see and do, accurate and honest journalism gives people the information they need to make their own informed decisions. The Secrets of Paris website and newsletter focus on:
- Reported articles based on first-hand visits, interviews, and research
- Practical information that is checked, updated, and clearly explained
- Context for major changes affecting visitors and residents (transport, museums, regulations, tourism policy)
- Coverage of cultural events, exhibitions, and institutions that are worth time and attention (not simply popular)
- Warnings about scams, misinformation, and hype-driven “must-sees” that waste time or money
If a place, event, or experience is mentioned here, it has been visited, tested, or carefully verified. Nothing is published anonymously.
What This Site Is Not
- a list of “Top 10” attractions
- a lifestyle blog or influencer platform
- a sponsored guide to restaurants, hotels, or shopping
- a comprehensive directory of everything in Paris
Paris is too complex—and people are too different—for one-size-fits-all advice. This site is designed to help readers make informed decisions, not to tell everyone to do the same things.
Values That Guide the Work
Sustainable tourism that serves the greater community of English-speaking visitors and residents in Paris.
While AI slop and click-bait flooding social media platforms and websites makes it hard to find reliable information about Paris, globalization and record-breaking tourism threaten to break the city’s unique character and spirit. To fight against these trends, the editorial decisions on Secrets of Paris are guided by a consistent set of values that promote responsible journalism and sustainable tourism, from the topics we focus on to the kinds of businesses and services we promote:
- Small, locally owned businesses and artisans that give back to the community
- Services and products that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible
- Independent hotels and rental accommodations that benefit – not displace – locals
- Reasonably priced restaurants, especially ones that favor local, seasonal, organic ingredients, and plant-based options
- Activities that favors cross-cultural understanding, authentic connections with the locals, and respect for the city’s socio-economic diversity, rather than constant consumption and contrived tourist “experiences” or performative social media trends
- Journalistic transparency, honesty, and editorial responsibility for everything published here
Will I always get it “right”? Probably not. But I put my name on everything I write because I stand behind it, and I’m willing to admit when I’m wrong.
The Role of the Membership Community
This website and newsletter remain free thanks to the support of the Secrets of Paris Membership Community.
Membership supports the continued independence of the site and creates a space for material that is more personal, more observational, and less generalized: behind-the-scenes updates, videos, interviews, neighborhood guides, and ongoing documentation of life in Paris that I don’t share with the general public.
Many members live in Paris full- or part-time. Others visit regularly. Over time, members have met through events and monthly meetups and formed friendships independent of the site itself. The community reflects the same values as the editorial work: curiosity, respect, and long-term engagement rather than consumption.
Contributors
Over the years, Secrets of Paris has included contributions from writers, researchers, and photographers living in or deeply familiar with Paris. All contributors are selected for their subject-matter knowledge and commitment to the site’s editorial standards. If you live in Paris and are interested in contributing, please consult the FAQ before getting in touch.
Independence, Copyright, and Accountability
All text and images copyright Secrets of Paris unless where noted (such as press images), and may not be copied or redistributed without written permission. “Secrets of Paris” is a registered trademark with the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI) # 386 7045.
The site is funded by readers, not advertisers. Editorial decisions are made independently, without brand partnerships or paid placements.