A Marathon Runner's Guide to His Favorite Running Routes in Paris
Kyle's very specific guide to his Paris.
Welcome to the Slice of Life Guides!
Starting with this newsletter, I'll regularly share unique guides from local residents. Slice of Life Guides will offer intimate glimpses into life in Paris, capturing the routines, routes, and places that make it meaningful to each of us.
They will be personal, hand-drawn, and succinct, providing snapshots of someone's corner of the universe here.
The goal is to showcase the many slices of life in Paris through various residents’ eyes, without turning everyone into an expert on everything.
With dozens of these guides, I hope to highlight how vibrant, multifaceted, personal, yet diverse and dynamic the Paris experience can be.
I call them guides, but not in the traditional sense. They are not prescriptive or meant to be checklists. There is no universal truth about the absolute best things to do in Paris.
When I moved here, I noticed that very few of the “canonical” places recommended by US food media were known or valued by my French colleagues or friends. Yet the same five neo-bistros keep appearing in US media, creating an illusion of a finite number of extraordinary experiences. The truth is, there are hundreds of fantastic spots scattered across the city, and everyone has their favorites—with very little overlap. Even specialists in food, wine, and travel rarely agree. It’s made me hesitant to write recommendations lists for visitors at all.
Yet that’s exactly why I’m so excited to launch this series. The question these guides ask isn’t really “What’s best?” but rather “What do you like? What do you do often? What makes life here feel special?”
Slice of Life Guides are designed to show that there are countless incredible things to do, see, eat, drink, learn, and experience, but there is no single source of truth. Each guide offers a snapshot, from a distinct and brilliant perspective, of the place we call home.
The full pieces will be a Q&As with a Paris resident, some French and many not, featuring a mix of hand-written and typed responses.
This Edition: Kyle’s Paris
For the very first guide, my close friend Kyle O’Brien volunteered to share a slice of his vibrant life in Paris. An avid runner, Kyle has completed two marathons in the past year while balancing a demanding work schedule and organizing gatherings for international professionals in the French tech ecosystem.
We met in 2021 through a Slack channel for international people working in French tech via Station F, and realized we had mutual friends from back home in the US. We hit it off over coffee on a park bench, and ever since, I’ve been very inspired by Kyle’s generosity of spirit and the way he has not only adapted to Paris life, but has also carved out a place for himself in it.
Kyle is the perfect person to kick off this series. He hand-wrote all his answers, and I’ve included some in their original form, with others typed below.
A moment in Paris that changed your perspective.
The pandemic. It was first time I realized how far away from home I really was.
Favorite French word or concept.
“Caution verte:” when you eat a heavy meal (like fondue or raclette), it’s recommended to add just a little bit of greens as a precaution.
Describe your perfect day in Paris from morning to night.
AM coffee in living room
Long run
Shower / relax / meditate
Walk around a new quartier
Dinner on a terrace
Walk home
Drinks by the fire
Draw or list what you miss most about home.
The ease of operating in English 24/7.
A hidden gem in Paris that you love?
Pantobaguette (restaurant).
How would you describe running in Paris in 3 words?
Cinematic.
Lively.
Variable.
Can you share an unexpected or lesser-known aspect of running in Paris that might surprise both locals and visitors?
Great pedestrian-only paths along the river and near parks—otherwise fend for yourself.
What are 3-5 places in Paris where you can go for a great run?
Hills: Montmartre, Buttes-Chaumont
Long/flat: Quai de Seine, Canal de L’Ourcq/La Villette
Forest: Bois de Boulogne OR Vincennes
Short: Luxembourg Gardens
Bonus: Coulée verte
Where do you like to run?
Parc Buttes-Chaumont
Name 3-5 underrated running spots in Paris that you think deserve more attention.
Tbh, IDK! Parc Monceau. Canal St. Martin. Jardin des Plantes.
What advice would you give to someone, whether a local or visitor, looking to explore Paris as a runner?
Find an easy loop with landmarks you recognize. Watch out for cyclists and cars!
What is a common misconception or challenge you encounter as a runner in Paris?
That Le Jogging is “new” to the French. There are actually TONS of people running on weekend AMs.
Are there any emerging trends or movements in Paris that you find interesting or are following closely?
Brooklynification of popular neighborhoods.
Favorite weekend trip (no extra days off) to get out of town.
Lyon or St. Malo.
To follow Kyle and his life as an investor in Paris, check out his newsletter, Startup ROI, about what the US can learn from the French and European tech ecosystem. Or catch a dinner with DM Dinner Club, an offline community bringing together startup operators, investors, and entrepreneurs who value content and community.
❤️✨ collaboration of my dreams