how does the song go? “i love paris in the springtime…”

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HOW DOES THE SONG GO?
“I LOVE PARIS IN THE
SPRINGTIME…”
WELL, WHO DOESN’T?
AND FOR THAT MATTER,
SUMMER, FALL, AND
WINTER ARE PRETTY
DARN GOOD TOO.
The iconic River Seine bisects the city
with the urbane ‘Right Bank’ or Rive
Droite being north, and the chic, artistic
‘Left Bank’ or Rive Gauche being south.
Bienvenue à Paris!
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LUXE PARIS
Intro
The City of Light shines like a romantic
beacon year round with the finest of
cuisine, fashion, lifestyle and culture,
and yet this ancient, fascinating and
beautiful city is extremely walkable and
easily navigable with its 20 districts, or
arrondissements, spiraling out like an
escargot from the central 1st.
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• Excepting Fashion Week, there is
no bad time to visit Paris, but be
warned during spring the city is
swamped and in August the entire
population seemingly goes on holiday
• Cabs are fine for short hops but the
métro is excellent for longer journeys,
buy a daily Mobilis or one-week Navigo
pass, or a ‘carnet’ of ten tickets
• CDG Airport to town: around 45 mins /
€50-70 by cab; 30 mins / €9.75 by RER
train; or 45-60 mins / €10 by Roissybus
• Un peu de politesse, mes chers, always
bid hello and goodbye when entering
shops, bars and restaurants
• Even locals carry the fab little red
Plan de Paris métro n’ maps all-in-one.
Pick it up at any news kiosk
• Shops, services and restaurants
generally close on Sunday, so use this
day for museums and activities
• The handy Vélib bike scheme has
stations every 300m – free for the first
30 mins, then €1.70/day, or €8/week via
credit card + PIN / velib.paris.fr
• Service is always included, but leave a
small tip by rounding up to the nearest
euro or two
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Intro
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• The international country code is +33,
all local calls begin with 01 and cell
phones with 06. To call emergency
from a cell phone dial 112
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Lorenz Bäumer
JEWELRY DESIGNER
Haute jewelry designer Lorenz Bäumer
is famed for his spectacular one-off
pieces utilizing rare and precious stones,
which are often inspired by the natural
world. Working for over 20 years from
his beautiful salon and atelier in Paris’
Place Vendôme, Lorenz has created
not only covetable custom work and
signature collections, but also designed
exclusive collections for Chanel, and since
2009 has been Artistic Director for Fine
Jewelry at Louis Vuitton.
lorenzbaumer.com
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Lorenz Bäumer
WHAT’S THE ONE THING
EVERY VISITOR TO PARIS
MUST DO?
Definitely Place Vendôme. It is a
wonderful place to go, a reference in
luxury and especially jewelry. This is
my playground with the view that I have
from my salon – something I never get
tired of. I also happen to own 150 historic
photographs dating back to 1853 of all
the special moments recorded on film
from the magic square. Come and view
the collection on your next trip!
WHAT DO YOU MOST LOVE
ABOUT PARIS?
Paris is the city of inspiration, museums,
amazing craftsmanship… a city that
pushes you beyond normal boundaries.
I am very fond of the Musée des Arts
Décoratifs where four of my creations
are on permanent display. There is always
something special happening there that
I can use as inspiration for my next piece
of jewelry. Reading is another one of my
passions and I love to discover new books
at Galignani library on rue de Rivoli where
Bertrand Pizzin gives the best advice.
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LUXE PARIS
Intro
WHAT ARE YOUR THREE
FAVORITE SHOPS IN PARIS
AND WHAT DO YOU LOVE
ABOUT THEM?
My three favorite shops in Paris are
Urban Solutions for the best bikes in the
city, (my favorite means of transportation
in Paris), Plume et Bille where I find the
special Namiki pens from Japan that I
love for writing notes, and La Maison du
Miel for the most incredible selection of
honeys – since discovering this boutique,
we don’t keep sugar at home anymore.
WHERE DO YOU GO FOR A
PAMPER SESSION, MASSAGE
OR SPA TREATMENT?
For me there is only Catherine Leroy,
who opened her spa at 6 rue de la
Trémoille in the 8th arrondissement.
She does acupuncture and massage,
so I love to visit her at the end of a busy
week. I feel totally rejuvenated; a million
years younger!
WHAT ARE THREE OF YOUR
FAVORITE RESTAURANTS
IN PARIS?
Alain Ducasse in all his special locations:
from the Plaza Athénée to Rech to Aux
Lyonnais. Kinugawa for Japanese food.
Jean-Paul Hévin for his ‘tartelette au
chocolat’, and Paparazzi (6 Square de
l’Opéra-Louis Jouvet) for the best pizzas
in town.
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LE ROYAL MONCEAU
THE PENINSULA
LE SEVERO
Hotel
Hotel
Dining
This Raffles-run glory-bower has
been touched with the Starck stick,
and strikes firmly on the luxe gong
with a très contempo ring. Choose
from Michelin-starred Il Carpaccio,
Le Cuisine and Le Bar Long and you’ll
be well-fed, watered and left feeling
awfully exclusive.
Grand dame retaining her original charms
with all the right modern conveniences
in contempo, iPad-driven suites with
oversized walk-in wardrobes and soaking
tubs with Oscar de le Renta amenities.
Swish street-side Kléber Terrace and Bar,
Cantonese Lili, the lovely L’Heure du Thé
Lobby and French rooftopper L’Oiseau
Blanc with ‘voilà!’ views stretching from
Sacré Cœur to the Eiffel Tower.
Considered by many to be home of the
city’s best steak frites, this no-faff streetcorner bistro is adored by locals and
visitors alike for its 5-10 week-aged,
perfectly prepared beef, delicious
tartare, chunky hand-cut fries, tasty
charcuterie starters, good bread and
a selection of mostly biodynamic and
organic boutique wines. C’est
magnifique!
19 avenue Kléber, 16th
+33 1 5812 2888
8 rue des Plantes, 14th
+33 1 45 40 40 91
37 avenue Hoche, 8th
+33 1 42 99 88 00
leroyalmonceau.com
paris.peninsula.com
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PAVILLON LEDOYEN
LE CHATEAUBRIAND
RALPH’S
Dining
Dining
Dining
Paris’ most storied, centuries-old dining
destination needed a top-to-toe revamp,
and it got one from triple Michelinstarred, locavore-beloved chef Yannick
Alléno.
Gastro-vivants sell their kids for seats
in Iñaki Aizpitarte’s vibrant, exciting,
experimental bistro. If you like adventure
and the unknown on your plate, then
book well ahead.
Fight for a summer terrace perch or
clubby salon table at Mr. Lauren’s
dandy paean to American classic
comfort cooking. It’s terribly BCBG,
but lovely whether at lunch or supper.
1 avenue Dutuit, 8th
+33 1 5305 1000
129 avenue Parmentier, 11th
+33 1 43 57 45 95
173 boulevard St Germain, 6th
+33 1 44 77 76 00
yannick-alleno.com
lechateaubriand.net
ralphlaurenstgermain.com
SUR MESURE
LE COMPTOIR GÉNÉRAL
Dining
Bar
EXPERIMENTAL COCKTAIL
CLUB
Step into this white on white spaceship
for a galactic molecular ride through all
the latest techniques in two Mich-starred
chef Thierry Marx’s prolific repertoire.
Yes, there is faffy foam, but Marx’s
devotion to healthy living is reflected in
clean flavors and imaginative pairings like
bean sprout and truffle risotto.
Follow the queue by the quay to enter
this cool, curio packed ‘ghetto museum’
after sundown (think voodoo witchcraft
cabinet and a mini-museum on the
Françafrique political past)... But you’re
really here for the African brews, Creole
cocktails, and sizzling regional street fare.
Just add a roster of film screenings and
DJs. So hip it hurts.
Mandarin Oriental
251 rue St-Honoré, 1st
+33 1 70 98 73 00
80 quai de Jemmapes, 10th
+33 1 44 88 24 48
mandarinoriental.com
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LUXE PARIS
Bar
Tiny, sexy, young and funky, with
plush, chandeliered vibe and tempting
drinks list, the ECC is a laboratory of fine
and rare spirits served with a little
tongue-in-chic, and a heck of a lot of flair.
37 rue St-Sauveur, 2nd
+33 1 48 08 88 09
experimentalcocktailclub.fr
lecomptoirgeneral.com
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LE PERCHOIR
LA MAISON GUERLAIN
SAINTE-CHAPELLE
Bar
Spa
Activities
Even the most jaded of locals are wowed
by sunsets and Sacré Coeur scenes on
this rooftop stunner. Arrive early to nab
one of the cushion-strewn pallet couches,
take a few classic cocktails, then shimmy
one floor down to chef Benoît Dumas’s
buzzy industrial diner for seasonal and
shareable Provençal fare.
All that Champs-Élysées retail and
picture-snapping is likely to have left
you with a severe case of shopper’s
shoulder. Never fear: the glittery,
Putman-designed Guerlain flagship
and its elegant spa can be found right
in the thick of it. Plush, 1930s-style
booths are where your salvation lies.
Is there a more celestial (and romantic)
church on the planet? The utterly
adorable C.13th upper chapel with its
ravishing stained glass is breathtakingly
exquisite. Try to go on a sunny day to fully
appreciate the spellbinding scope of its
beautiful stained glass windows.
14 rue Crespin du Gast, 11th
+33 1 48 06 18 48
68 avenue des Champs-Élysées, 8th
+33 1 45 62 11 21
leperchoir.fr
guerlain.com
NISSIM DE CAMONDO
MERCI
MURIEL GRATEAU
Activities
Shopping
Shopping
A wander around this truly beautiful
house, complete with its original
collection of C.18th art, furniture and
antiques, offers a unique glimpse into
the past. A fascinating little time capsule.
Shop with a clear conscience at this
delightful concept store featuring a
vintage book café, home furniture
and fragrance, plus new/vintage togs
for kids and grownups with profits
going to charity.
Divine, dramatic but simple
porcelain tableware, plus a rainbow
of fine linens and staggeringly chic
jewelry. Muriel’s eye is always flawless
and her monochrome store a magnet
for the city’s most stylish denizens.
111 boulevard Beaumarchais, 3rd
+33 1 42 77 00 33
37 rue de Beaune, 7th
+33 1 40 20 42 82
merci-merci.com
murielgrateau.com
63 rue de Monceau, 8th
+33 1 53 89 06 50
lesartsdecoratifs.fr
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8 boulevard du Palais, 1st
+33 1 53 40 60 80
sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr
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TAXIS
SUNDAY
PRICES
You’ve got more chance of hailing a
pelican in Paris. If you are lucky enough
to get one, your next realization will be
that friendly cab drivers are as rare as
friendly waiters
Shops, services and a good many
restaurants are closed on Sunday –
quel insanity is this?
€35 for a martini in hotel bars?
C’est du vol organisé! Be prepared
to hemorrhage cash
SERVICE
Any chance of getting my order before
I expire? Probably not, especially if you’re
not French
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MUSEUM PASS
LUNCH
EIFFEL TOWER
You will of course wish to visit the
Louvre and Musée d’Orsay but in spring,
summer and fall the queues can be
atrocious, and tempers simmer easily.
Book ahead to get the 2-, 4- or 6-day
Museum Pass delivered to your hotel
and you’ll swan straight to the front of
the queue (much to everyone’s
annoyance). It also gains you entry to
scores of other wonderful museums.
Paris hosts some of the world’s most
rarefied dining experiences, but apart
from the eye-watering cost, the sheer
difficulty of reserving a table for dinner
can be infuriating. So, reeducate yourself
to accept lunch as the main meal of
the day and you’ll take full advantage
of the city’s fantastic prix-fixe deals,
from magnificent Le Meurice to tiny
Le Comptoir du Relais. Bon appetit!
You could wait elbow-to-elbow with
the rest of the tourists to climb Mr.
Eiffel’s latticed spire. But those in the
know (ahem... Obama and the First Lady)
choose a more glamorous ascent by
way of the private elevator up to fine
diner Le Jules Verne, of course followed
by a champagne supper therein courtesy
of Monsieur Ducasse protégé Pascal
Féraud. Santé!
CUISINE
VAUX LE VICOMTE
In a city of such fine food it’s tempting
to simply wander from restaurant to
bistro without ever really knowing the
components of the dishes and the origin
of the ingredients. Step forward Wendy
Lyn, whose fabulous Paris Kitchen food
tours illuminate and charm in equal
measure, and yes, you get to eat just
about everything you see along the way!
The Museum Pass will help you to avoid
the queues at the Château de Versailles,
but it really can’t protect you from the
abject swarms in spring and summer. If
two is company but thirty thousand is a
crowd, why not consider the quieter and
glorious Vaux le Vicomte, the original
inspiration for Versailles. In summer
you can even dine within the candlelit
grounds. Palatial peace!
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Romance
What better way to start your day than
in lovely St-Germain-des-Prés with a
steaming cup of the signature, thick
hot chocolate from Les Deux Magots?
Follow with a gentle amble alongside rue
Jacob’s pretty antique and décor shops
(pop into Ladurée for thigh-destroying
macarons), and be sure to stop off at
one of Paris’s best cultural secrets, the
charming little Musée National Eugène
Delacroix, for a window into the C.19th
romantic artist’s atelier, home, and
private garden. For a relaxed, but terribly
good lunch without a reservation be sure
to arrive very early at Le Comptoir du
Relais, or if you’re in the mood for the
chicest cheeseburger in town try your
luck at Ralph’s (see LUXE Loves). Well,
you’ve earned a pamper, so off with
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LUXE PARIS
Intro
you to the Six Senses Spa, and relax in
one of their delightful couple’s cocoons.
Rejuvenated? You simply can’t come to
Paris and not shop for beautiful lingerie,
and just a short cab ride away awaits the
incomparable Fifi Chachnil, for undies
with a built in knee-tremble! With your
purchases safely wrapped, make haste
to the heavenly Sainte-Chapelle (see
LUXE Loves), and then onto the perfect
afternoon tea in La Galerie at The Four
Seasons Hotel Georges V. Just time for
a quick wash and brush up at your digs
before dusk when you can call past Place
du Trocadéro to watch the spectacular
Eiffel Tower light show (every hour on the
hour), or better yet head up to Le Jules
Verne nestled high in the tower’s steel
corset for supper. Rather keep your feet
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firmly on the ground? Then push on to a
magical dinner (booked well in advance)
at Pavillon Ledoyen (see LUXE Loves),
followed by a moonlit walk through the
closeby Tuileries Gardens, then back to
your suite at the Grand hôtel du Palais
Royal.
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Style
Start your stylish sojourn with some of
the finest croissants and baked goods in
the city from famed baker Eric Kayser
– rather handily he has a shop in the
Carré Rive Gauche at 18 rue du Bac,
perfectly positioned for your post-pastry
stroll around the best interior décor and
antique shops in this treasure chest of
a neighborhood. Whatever you do, don’t
miss out on divine Muriel Grateau (see
LUXE Loves), or splendid taxidermist
extraordinaire Deyrolle – quite simply
one of our favorite shops anywhere. A
quick coffee at Hotel Montalembert if
you must, and then taxi to the joyous
Musée des Arts Décoratifs for its design
collections dating from the Middle Ages
to the present. Lunch! Huitrerie Régis
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Intro
offers bivalve bliss, and you can eat in
or takeaway. What luck, you’re terribly
close to the beautiful Palais Royale,
and that means vintage shopping and
perfume at the lovely shops of Didier
Ludot and Serge Lutens. An afternoon
visit to the Musée Jacquemart-André
is at once stylish and cultural, but just
as importantly you’ll find a rather good
afternoon tea under the Tiepolo ceiling of
its grand café. For that all important pre­
prandial, it’s difficult to beat the excellent
libations at Experimental Cocktail Club
(see LUXE Loves), before taking your seat
at the ultra fashionable white-on-white
Sur Mesure (see LUXE Loves) for Thierry
Marx’s molecular marvels. If something
a little less formal is called for, head to
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Chez l’Ami Jean for Basque at its best
in a boisterous boîte of chandeliers, zinc
and graffiti – don’t miss the infamous
rice pudding with salted caramel cream
and nougatine. Nightcaps? Mais oui. Two
words: Andy Wahloo. Fin!
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Gourmet
Wendy Lyn (see Drab vs Fab) is your
go-to gal for all things culinary in Paris
including food tours, cooking classes,
market visits and wine tastings, but it’s
also worth seeking out the advice of
Aurélie and Marion at Succulent Paris
who arrange all manner of culinary
delights including food tastings in private
apartments. Prefer to go it alone? No
problem. During the week, one of the
very best places to start is always the
delectable La Grande Épicerie with its
extraordinary seasonal, regional and
international produce. From the ultraluxe food hall specializing in everything,
it’s an easy step to the tiny independent
stores specializing in only one thing.
On you go to nearby 8 rue du ChercheMidi in the 6th for the famed bread of
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LUXE PARIS
Intro
Poilâne, and then follow your nose to
51 rue de Grenelle in the 7th, where it’s
possible to detect the presence of cheese
wonderland Barthélémy even as you
turn into the street. You’ve now got the
makings of a picnic, and where better
to enjoy it than the sylvan surrounds of
the nearby garden at the Musée Rodin.
Chocolate is a subject dear to most
people’s heart and in Paris you’re spoilt
for choice, but you can’t go wrong with
a visit to Alain Ducasse’s choc atelier La
Manufacture, the city’s first artisanal
bean-to-bar maker with all manner of
delights – try the pistachio praline. Or,
if you prefer to sit down for your sugar
fix, try the wicked upstairs tearoom at
artisanal chocolatier Jean-Paul Hévin,
his alchemical cocoa will send you loco.
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Yes, you’ve died and gone to Hévin! To
finish your day, how about something a
little under the radar for supper? Try the
excellent tasting menu at Verjus. Relaxed
and welcoming, this little resto is a bit like
attending a great supper party, or if you
prefer it even less formal, they have a fab
wine bar with bites menu too. Lovely!
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The Essentials
ROMANCE
STYLE
• Les Deux Magots
6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 6th
+33 1 45 48 55 25
lesdeuxmagots.fr
• Le Jules Verne
Eiffel Tower, Avenue Gustave Eiffel, 7th
+33 1 45 55 61 44
lejulesverne-paris.com
• Eric Kayser
18 rue du Bac, 7th
+33 1 42 61 27 63
erickayser.com
• Ladurée
21 rue Bonaparte, 6th
+33 1 44 07 64 87
laduree.fr
• Pavillon Ledoyen
(see LUXE Loves)
• Muriel Grateau
(see LUXE Loves)
• Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal
4 rue de Valois, 1st
+33 1 42 96 15 35
grandhoteldupalaisroyal.com
• Deyrolle
46 rue du Bac, 7th
+33 1 42 22 30 07
deyrolle.com
• Musée National Eugène Delacroix
6 rue de Furstenberg, 6th
+33 1 44 41 86 50
musee-delacroix.fr
• Hotel Montalembert
3 rue Montalembert, 7th
+33 1 45 49 68 01
hotel-montalembert.fr
• Le Comptoir du Relais
9 carrefour de l’Odéon, 6th
+33 1 44 27 07 97
hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com
• Ralph’s
(see LUXE Loves)
• Musée des Arts Décoratifs
107 rue de Rivoli, 1st
+33 1 44 55 57 50
lesartsdecoratifs.fr
• Six Senses Spa
3 rue de Castiglione, 1st
+33 1 43 16 10 10
sixsenses.com
• Huitrerie Régis
3 rue Montfaucon, 6th
+33 1 44 41 10 07
huitrerieregis.com
• Fifi Chachnil
231 rue Saint-Honoré, 1st
+33 1 42 61 21 83
fifichachnil.com
• Didier Ludot
24 galerie de Montpensier, 1st
+33 1 42 96 06 56
didierludot.fr
• Sainte-Chapelle
(see LUXE Loves)
• Serge Lutens
142 galerie de Valois, 1st
+33 1 49 27 09 09
sergelutens.com
• The Four Seasons Hotel Georges V
31 avenue George V, 8th
+33 1 49 52 70 00
fourseasons.com
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The Essentials
STYLE
GOURMET
• Musée Jacquemart-André
158 boulevard Haussmann, 8th
+33 1 45 62 11 59
musee-jacquemart-andre.com
• Wendy Lyn
(see Drab vs Fab)
• Experimental Cocktail Club
(see LUXE Loves)
• Sur Mesure
(see LUXE Loves)
• La Grande Épicerie
38 rue de Sèvres, 6th
+33 1 44 39 81 00
lagrandeepicerie.com
• Chez l’Ami Jean
27 rue Malar, 7th
+33 1 47 05 86 89
lamijean.fr
• Andy Wahloo
69 rue des Gravilliers, 3rd
+33 1 42 71 20 38
andywahloo-bar.com
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• Succulent Paris
33 rue de Tocqueville, 17th
+33 6 63 39 84 63
succulent-paris.com
Intro
• Poilâne
8 rue du Cherche-Midi, 6th
+33 1 45 48 42 59
poilane.com
• Barthélémy
51 rue de Grenelle, 7th
+33 1 42 22 82 24
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• Musée Rodin
79 rue de Varenne, 7th
+33 1 44 18 61 10
musee-rodin.fr
• La Manufacture
40 rue de la Roquette, 11th
+33 1 48 05 82 86
lechocolat-alainducasse.com
• Jean-Paul Hévin
231 rue Saint-Honoré, 1st
+33 1 55 35 35 96
jeanpaulhevin.com
• Verjus
52 rue de Richelieu, 1st
+33 1 42 97 54 40
verjusparis.com
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