Sizzling Paris

SIZZLING PARIS

As Cole Porter once pointed out, Paris is a city for all seasons, and none more so than in summer. Just in time, in fact, for the Olympic Games.  

Paris’ eternal allure lies not so much in the physicality of its buildings - though Baron Haussman’s noble masterplan is reason enough to sigh with pleasure - but in the face of that the city wraps itself up in an assured calm, an acceptance that, in life, only beautiful things will do.

STAY

Picking a hotel in Paris can be challenging simply because of the sheer range and quality of properties on offer. Formerly the HQ of fashion icon, Pierre Cardin, La Réserve Paris, for instance, features fabulous views of Le Grand Palais and the Eiffel Tower, and sumptuous rooms furnished by the great interior designer, Jacques Garcia. The Bulgari Hotel Paris is a modernist haven clad in varnished eucalyptus, silk walls panels and Zimbabwean granite whilst the decor is inspired, appropriately, by the colours of precious gems. Over at Le Bristol Paris, live like the French royalty of old in gorgeous rooms dressed with Louis XV- or Louis XVI-style furniture, and then shop till you drop along the fabled rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

EAT

The Parisian obsession for style and perfection ratchets up several notches in the city’s uncounted restaurants, bistros, cafés, and specialty shops. For a dash of 1950s Paris, La Rotonde Montparnasse is a delight for its crisp service and classic French fare, though for the best bouef bourguignon of your life, book a table at Joséphine Chez Dumonet. At the 224 year-old Debauve & Gallais, the bonbons, pralines and ganaches are irresistible, whilst La Rue Palloy draws a loyal following for its leavened breads, kouglofs and briochettes.

SEE

Even if you’ve been a dozen times, there is always something to discover in Paris, whilst old haunts can surprise. A new planting of summer blooms in the arbored sheltered of the gardens at the Tuileries, perhaps. Or an exhibition in the Guimet’s fabulous Asian collection - so much more accessible and realistic than the endless corridors of the Louvre. Emerging artists from Central Europe and the Americas are on show at the Fitzpatrick Gallery, whilst the art and manicured garden at Jardins de L’Hôtel de Soubise are a balm for the soul.

SHOP

Whilst every tourist and his mother is queuing up outside Louis Vuitton on the Champs Élysées, make a beeline for the considerably more refined Wolff et Descourtis for one of their stunning hand loomed wool and silk scarves. Book-fiends will adore Assouline (we love the one on 35 rue Bonaparte) for its amazing collection of hardcover coffee-table books, though for a thoroughly Parisian retail moment, it’s difficult to beat Monastica (11 rue du Post Louis Philippe, 4th arr.) for its artisanal products produced by monks and nuns, including their bestselling lavender oils, ceramic bowls, handwoven tea towels and tea infusions. However, if time is short and retail efficiency is key, hit La Vallée Village, a designer shopping village about 40 minutes outside Paris where at least 30% discounts await at luxury boutiques.

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‍Are you looking to embark on your very own journey to Paris? Find out more here.

We look forward to journeying with you.

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