Paris, Texas, pays tribute to its famous namesake

Crowned by a bright red cowboy hat, the 20-meter-high Eiffel Tower in Paris embodies the city’s personality: Lone Star pride and French imagination, enlivened by a touch of madness. Located in the northeastern part of the state on the edge of the Piney Woods, Paris is closely associated with its slightly more famous namesake. You can bike in the local Tour de Paris, watch the Grand Prix (of motorboats) and admire paintings by local impressionists at the Plaza Art Gallery.

Craving a fresh baguette or a flaky chocolate croissant? The chefs at Paris Bakery show off their finesse with French pastries: cream-filled éclairs, mini apple tarte tatins, and ruby-red strawberry tarts. Let them eat cake—or try the European-style sourdough, a tasty base for turkey and provolone sandwiches, smeared with raspberry mustard. When cabernet season rolls around, wine bar and creperie Vin de Paris pairs a selection of red and white wines with charcuterie platters and house-made sorbets. Their sweet and savory crepes come in flavors like blackberry and strawberry Nutella—and you might also find yourself at a Dolly Parton best-outfit contest or an art class to paint your pet.

Most shops and restaurants cluster around Paris’s pretty downtown square, whose focal point is not the Lamar County Courthouse but the Culbertson Fountain. Steps lead up to the oak-shaded landmark, built in 1927 from a single block of Italian Carrara marble. Lion faces spew streams of water, and a smiling angel at the top lovingly cradles a fish. While the buildings around the square mostly date from the World War I era, Paris’s heyday was the late 19th century: the era of railroads and cotton. You’ll find a small but impressive selection of well-preserved homes from that era, including the Italianate Kaufman Terrace and the Wise House, a unique red-brick Queen Anne home. The architectural pièce de résistance is the 1868 Sam Bell Maxey House, a state historic site that offers hourly tours. Both floors of the Italian villa-inspired Victorian building are filled with the Maxey family’s original furniture and even clothing.

The Maxey House is just blocks from Evergreen Cemetery, home to a true Paris, Texas original: Jesus in cowboy boots. The 19th-century statue that crowns the grave of a certain Willie Babcock is just one of the notable stone monuments in the cemetery. There’s also a life-size buffalo and intricate carvings of swords, sheep and bales of cotton. If the cemetery whets your craving for quirky attractions, be sure to check out the Greek peristyle in Bywaters Park and the giant soup can in front of the Campbell’s factory. At the Lamar County Historical Museum, you can see an iron lung, a vintage shoe collection and a modernized outhouse.

But in Paris, all roads lead back to the Eiffel Tower in Texas. After an earlier wooden replica was destroyed by a tornado, the local welders’ union built a striking new version in 1993. The signature red cowboy hat was added later after the city of Paris, Tennessee, built a similar replica that was 5 feet taller. With the hat, the Eiffel Tower in Texas could once again claim to be the biggest and best – at least on this side of the Seine.

DISCOVER TEXAS

Enjoy: Okra tacos? Yes, please. The fried nuggets are wrapped in warm corn tortillas with bacon, scallions, tomatoes and a sweet and spicy sauce and served at 107, an open-air restaurant and beer garden in a historic downtown building. There’s a top-notch selection of Texas craft beers and upscale pub fare like pulled pork, grilled cheese sandwiches and BLTs with fried green tomatoes. Head to Scholl’s Bros. BBQ for some seriously smoked meats, including a brisket slam sandwich, hot links and white cheddar mac. Ask for off-menu specials at Torres Mochas, where you can sample authentic Guanajuato-style Mexican cuisine.

Business: Antique hunters will feel in paradise, as downtown has more than a dozen mom-and-pop shops within walking distance. Start by browsing the rustic selection of French farmhouse finds at Monique’s, from weathered sideboards to dainty accent chairs to milky-white pitchers. The namesake Monique hails from Paris, France, and returns home each year to find more treasures for her shop. Browse the old-fashioned aisles of Swaim Hardware for anything and everything, and stop by Crazy Horse Western Wear for a full selection of boots, clothing, saddles and tack.

Enjoy: Bicycling is a big deal in Paris. The Trail de Paris connects 130 miles of paved and unpaved trails along the Northeast Texas Trail. Forested and covered by a thick canopy of evergreens, the Trail de Paris is a quiet retreat with plenty of shade (and an interesting scale model of the solar system). In the spring, dogwoods bloom, and in the summer, numerous crepe myrtles color the landscape, not just around the trails but throughout the city. The warm weather also attracts the 70-member Paris Municipal Band, which gives free Friday night concerts in June and July. Now in its 102nd consecutive season, members of the orchestra range from teenagers to septuagenarians—and many have been playing these summer shows for over 50 years.

Snooze: Check out short-term rental sites like Airbnb and Vrbo for the hottest places to stay, like the McDonald House—an airy, modern downtown loft with a private pool, garden, and garage. Nearby, 1st Street Lofts is an Art Deco-inspired retreat in a restored 1916 building. Glamorous details include a blue velvet sofa, chic tile, and a black-and-white bathroom with a freestanding tub. A “swanky bungalow” has a bachelor pad vibe, with a cool concrete shower and black tongue-and-groove walls. If you prefer a hotel, the Hampton Inn gets top marks.

How to get there: From Fort Worth, head northeast on TX-121. Stay on 121 to Bonham (about 96 miles total), pass the DFW airport, and merge onto various freeways through the metroplex, including the Sam Rayburn Tollway and US-75 in McKinney. Just past Bonham, turn right onto US-82 E and follow it 37 miles to Paris. The entire drive takes about two hours and 10 minutes in light traffic.