Dine On French Food At An Overlooked Town In Maine Sharing A Name With France's City Of Lights

While the world-renowned city of Paris, France, is on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean from the United States, there's a small New England town in Maine that boasts the exact same name and an underrated culinary destination that is an ode to France's mecca of dining. The small town of Paris, Maine, in the southwestern corner of the state is about an hour's drive from Portland. Visitors can enter Paris and mentally transport themselves to the City of Lights without ever traveling across the ocean.

This town of just over 5,200 people offers classic New England aesthetics with rolling hills and woodlands synonymous with the area, and a flowing river nearby. Outdoor destinations like Singepole Mountain, Snow Falls in West Paris, the 4.5-mile Witt's End hike in nearby Norway, and the Little Androscoggin River are family-friendly ways to enjoy the local landscape. You can find maps to Snow Falls and other cascades in the "New England Waterfalls" guide. Aside from those recreational reasons to visit, Paris is also a place of historical importance — it has a unique tie to one of the most renowned figures in American history. As you can imagine, Paris also offers that small-town charm and natural beauty that travelers crave when visiting New England.

The name of Paris, Maine, is something of an obvious mystery — nowhere is it fully confirmed that the name is meant to refer to the French capital, but it's fair to assume that the European settlers named it in tribute to the city. The roots of the Maine town trace back over two centuries to 1793 when it was incorporated. It was large enough, actually, to warrant division into several different towns — West Paris, North Paris, and South Paris are the town's neighbors.

Hannibal Hamlin, a senator who later became governor of Maine, was born in Paris. Hamlin notably became Abraham Lincoln's first vice president. However, since he was replaced with Andrew Johnson when Lincoln sought reelection, he narrowly missed a chance at becoming president himself in the wake of Lincoln's assassination. He spent the rest of his political career and life in Maine and is buried in the under-the-radar coastal city of Bangor 120 miles east, where there's also a statue of him. The Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum was named in his honor and still stands today at Paris Hill. The museum building was previously the location for the Oxford County Jail in the 19th century, and inside there are now oil paintings, portraits, and a variety of relics from Paris' past that pay tribute to the origins of the land. After learning about American history, go out to one of the fine restaurants in town that brings the taste of France to Maine.

There is one highly rated culinary tribute that cannot be missed according to locals and visitors in the Paris area. Dine at Maurice Restaurant Francais in South Paris for Parisian vibes in the heart of Main Street. Immediately upon entering Maurice, you are greeted with a cozy, elegant setting in this home converted into a restaurant dining space. Tripadvisor reviewers compliment the cleanliness of the indoor dining area and the warm bread served to every table to start their meal.

Maurice serves a variety of classic French- and American-inspired entrees for all palates. For the truest Paris food experience, visitors recommend the French onion soup or escargot cooked in garlic butter to start. The dinner menu includes French specialties like chicken cordon bleu, roasted duck, and veal flambé. If you're staying in the area longer, locals love The Square — A Family Restaurant for a classic diner breakfast, lunch specials, and cocktails.