An afternoon in Paris — small town, long trails.

If someone had asked me about Paris, Ontario a week ago, I would have been clueless about its existence. For someone who has lived in Southern Ontario for a major chunk of my life, I was completely oblivious to the fact that it existed until last weekend when while looking for a weekend getaway my husband spotted it in his search results.

Paris Ontario, a small community located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario was established in 1850, known for being remarkably well preserved, and many of its best restaurants and shops are housed in buildings over a century old.

While being impressed by the historic essence of this town, our research soon led us to Barker’s Bush, a trail located near the banks of the Nith River…and that’s when we decided to visit “the Prettiest Little town in Canada.”

As we took the exit towards Paris, Ontario plus a 45 mins ride on the county road to Barker’s Bush, we came across cafes, bakeries, specialty shops, and boutiques, all in a small neighbourhood. Before we knew it, we had arrived at our destination.

The bush consisting of coniferous and deciduous trees, which is common to the Carolinian forest in Southern Ontario, has both extensive bike and hiking trails, which are used regularly from early Spring to late Fall.

Along with the long unending trail, which we just visited and were awed by its presence, Paris as a whole gives a unique blend of historic accommodations and modern amenities.