FOOD & TRAVEL Paris, City of Light
THE ESSENTIALS
STAY Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal from the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection. Right by the Louvre but hidden from the crowds in an idyllic courtyard, this fresh, design-led hotel lives up to the city’s culinary expectations, their subterranean spa is an ideal post-shopping indulgence. Doubles from £325. slh.com/palaisroyal
THE WEEKENDER
PARIS The city is reclaiming its fashion crown, says Rosalyn Wikeley
DO For a ‘nose’ workout and education on centuries of Parisian fragrance, visit the Musée de Parfum. Book a class with ‘un nez’ for an expert rundown of scent pairing and have a go at creating your own. grandmuseeduparfum.fr
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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; LUC CASTEL
aris is always a good idea,’ or at least that was the form prior to the challenges brought to the city in 2015. Tourism is only beginning to bounce back (after a painful lull) with a host of design-led hotel openings and renovations, a cosmopolitan gastronomic facelift and museums harnessing the capital’s fashion legacy with headline shows. Never mind the modern likes of Maje, Sandro or Claudie Pierlot, the museums promise a trip to the ‘glory days’, when Paris was the glittering epicentre of the fashion world. It’s the stuff of sartorial reverie, a retrospective of codemakers, fierce talent and the noise of showbiz, politics and culture
Yves Saint Laurent Museum
BOOK IT Eurostar from London, from £58 return or fly Air France eurostar.com; airfrance.co.uk The Paris Tourist Office parisinfo.com
Christian Dior exhibition
surrounding these fashion power houses. The Christian Dior exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is a must-see for a breathtaking overview of the designer’s life and work, touted the best exhibition in Paris this year with elaborate, interactive displays – hurry though, it ends on 7 January (lesartsdecoratifs.fr). Then there’s the Yves Saint Laurent Museum (once the couture house of the man who transformed women’s fashion) for a civilised and magical tour of his eventful life and elegant designs that will whet your appetite for the shops (museeyslparis.com).
EAT For an impressive wine list and warm, scandi interiors try Zebulon Palais Royal. A.Noste is the place for buzzy tapas with a Parisian twist and Spoon for the latest addition to the Alain Ducasse empire. If you’re after refined Parisian dining, Le Fumoir, or Les Grands Verres, an ‘in-ze-know’ spot atop the Palais de Tokyo.
BUY Head to Rue Saint-Honoré for a chic-on-chic shopping experience, (Moynat, Chantal Thomass Lingerie and TOUS are key), or the apartment of D’Estrëe’s founder for luxury hats and bags, and Fauchon on Place de la Madeleine for crisp macaron.
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