Make plans to visit Paris after your trip down the Grand.

 

Trip Options  Lunch or Camp... link  Rafting Trips... link  Canoe Trips... link  Kayak Trips... link  Tandem Yak Trips... link  River Tubing... link  SUP Trips... link Our TripAdvisor Reviews

Local Restaurants ... Accommodations... Trails & Festivals

Paris on the Grand is a mini Niagara-On-The-Lake... a beautiful town located at the confluence of two rivers. The business area is actually nestled in a valley. It is not only the prettiest small town in Ontario... but it is also the Cobblestone Capital of Canada.

But inspite of all the fancy labels... Paris is one of those places where you want to get out and walk the town. Explore the beauty of Brant County where Paris on the Grand is located... link

From our registration parking lot... you simply walk 200 m over the bridge... entering a flowered-boulevard of boutique shops and eateries.

We have listed below some of our personal favorites to help you discover the town and surrounding area.

Restaurants & Eateries

To "heck" with paddling in Paris... just come to eat!

This place is filled with good food... there is Camp 31 with over 160 smoked Alabama Rib Awards... there is Still Waters where you can have dinner overlooking the river or under the stars... there is the Cedar House with it's famous prime rib or Portobello mushrooms... and if you like food with flavor, you must try The Arlington with its garden patio. Plus there are the fast foods of MacDonalds,  KFC, Harveys, Subways, Pizza, Fry Wagons, Ice Cream and about six other family restaurants... and finally the Carvalho Coffee Shop overlooking the Grand... with the best fritters in town.

Outside of Paris, in other villages there are four restaurants worth visiting. In St George, we recommend two restaurants... St George Arms and La Cantinella Ristorante Italiano.  In Mt Pleasant we recommend two restaurants... Windmill Country Market (closed Sunday) and Devlin's Country Bistro

If paddling the valley and wanting individual lunches or a BBQ (minimum of 10 people for BBQ)... the Award Winning business called the Kitchen caters with fresh homemade lunches or catered shoreline BBQs. They look after you well!

Accommodations

We partner with three hotels and three Bed & Breakfasts... plus a secluded retreat centre right on the Grand River. Our retreat centre called Five Oaks has group and private rental facilities available. Our Bed & Breakfast partners are Behind the Pines located in Paris, Our three hotels are the beautifully restored Arlington Hotel right in Paris... or the Brantford Hampton Inn (10 minutes from our launch) on the edge of Wilderness... or the Best Western (15 minutes from our launch) in Brantford, Ontario

Camping & Trailers

We have two Conservation Parks in the area that host trailers and camping... Brant Park Conservation Area on the Grand River near Brantford... Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area on a kettle lake north of Paris

Private camps site right on the Grand River that you can paddle or drive to... Grand River Rafting Campsites with tenting only... and our new site called the Birley Gates on the river north of Paris

Local Picnic Areas

The main picnic site in Paris is called Lions Park... it has shaded areas with tables, a splash pad and swimming pool, a large variety of playground equipment, washrooms, free parking, a walkway along the scenic Nith River... plus a pedestrian bridge that allows access to the Paris business core. On Trip Advisor this park has an excellent rating... link  Location is 96 Laurel St, Brant, ON N3L 3L8

Another excellent park with 3 fishing ponds, washrooms and picnic tables is Optimist Park in Mount Pleasant... and nearby is the famous Windmill Country Market with bakery, restaurant and Mennonite furniture (Windmill is not open Sunday).              

Gas Stations & Grocery & Beer-LCBO Stores

Paris has two grocery stores to serve you... A No Frills at 71 Dundas St E, Brant, ON N3L 3H1, Canada ... and a Sobeys at 307 Grand River St N, Paris, ON N3L 2N9, Canada

The LCBO is at 25 Mechanic Street, Paris, N3L 1K1  519- 442-2541   Beer Store is at 28 Silver St, Paris, ON N3L 3G2, Canada  519-442-2752

There are 4 gas stations in the town... best prices is the 24 hour Pioneer Gas Bar at 93 King Edward St, Paris, ON N3L 3E3, Canada...      Esso at 127 Dundas St W, Paris, ON, Canada...   Shell at 279 Grand River St N, Paris, ON, Canada

Unique Paris Boutique Shops

There are numerous shops in Paris, but here are some unique places to visit...  Chocolate Sensations (chocolates & ice cream), A Swiss in Paris (excellent cheese shop) and John M Halls  (the house of quality linens)

Museums

In the same buildling as our registration kiosk is the Paris Museum & Historical Society which is donation based. There is also the Graham Bell Homestead... inventor of the telephone and the pioneer Myrtleville House, both located in nearby Brantford... Westfield Pioneer Village  and Crawford Lake Iroquoian village... which are about 45 minutes away.

Favorite Outdoor Things to Do Nearby

If wishing to try archery then visit the Triggers & Bows indoor archery range just 15 minutes away from the Grand River Rafting Launch site.

Nature...Hike the beautiful km loop around Whitemans Creek at Apps Mills Conservation Area... Bike & Hike the Rail Trail... Fly fish the Grand with Fly Water drift boat or shore wading... or spin cast kayak fishing & drift boat with Baer Kayak Fishing... or visit nearby farms for local produce like lavender, meat, honey, u-pick berries & apples... farm gate link.

Shops... Mary Maxim (wool & craft shop),  Robert Hall Originals has the largest collection of rocks, mineral &pewter, Donn Zver Pottery a pottery shop & cafe.

For other unique events to attend in the local area... visit our Brant County Website

Favorite Things to Do Within an Hour Of Paris

One Axe Pursuits rappelling and zipline, Long Point Eco Adventures ziplines, stargazing, glamping, mountain bike trails and Burning Kiln Winery, Ojibwa Submarine Tour at Port Burwell, Sand Hills has the highest sand dunes on Lake Erie, Grand River Dinner Cruise offers sunset cruises on the Grand River, Hamilton Waterfalls walk & explore over 100 waterfalls, Bruce Trail at Hamilton, Bingemans Water Park is the largest water world around, African Lion Safari is a drive through viewing of wild exotic animals.

Local Festivals Brant County

Springtime in Paris festival is during the first week of June. Paris Fall Fair largest labour day weekend fair in Ontario, St George Applefest is during mid September, Burford Fall Fair is a truly good old country fair during Thanksgiving Weekend

Discover the Six Nations

Drive south of Paris to the largest block of native land in Southern Ontario, over 45,000 acres. This is the home of the Haudenosaunee... the Six Nations of the Grand River Territories. Some of the key points of interest is the oldest pre-confederate native Mansion called Chiefswood, there is also an excellent arts & cultural store called Iroqrafts, then there is the famous Burger Barn and all hosted is the largest Grand River Pow Wow in Southern Ontario at the end of July. In Brantford is the last standing native Residential School in Ontario, plus the Woodland Cultural Center as was as her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawk. There is also the 16th century Iroquois Village called Kana:ta Village in Brantford near the Woodland Cultural Centre and Mohawk Chapel. For insight of what to see... knock on the door of the Six Nations Tourism.

So this is just a small taste of what is in our back yard. As you get to know the area... we know you will be coming back!