By train, the journey from Switzerland to Paris hardly takes longer than the first lesson of basic French. And that is just as indispensable on the Seine as a bulging wallet. Paris has this magic that lulls us like the smell of freshly baked croissants or a brewed coffee and always makes us feel as if we were extras on the movie set of “The Fabulous World of Amélie”. Somehow modern, somehow stuck in time. Friendly and yet unapproachable. The French capital is like a blind date: exciting and open-ended. Where are we going? Adeline Pouline knows the most beautiful places.
Hotels in Paris
The Hotel Monte Cristo combines western charm with Parisian chic. The hotel’s own pool is reminiscent of the inner courtyard of a Moroccan riad and the bou-doirs of times gone by. The Hotel Le Pigalle looks like a stylish second home for good friends – even if you have to payconsiderably more than two bottles of red wine for an overnight stay. The Visionapartments at Rue de l’Amiral de Coligny 2 are a stylish place to stay for an extra night or two.
Hotel Monte Cristo, 20-22 Rue Pascal, www.hotelmontecristoparis.com
Hotel Le Pigalle, 9 Rue Frochot, www.lepigalle.paris.com
Visionapartments, 10 Place Vendôme, www.visionapartments.com
Restaurants in Paris
Lobster roll for breakfast or would you prefer the classic croissant? Monsieur Bleu in the Palais de Tokyo serves even more: namely a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower. You can feast on every corner in the Marais. Delicious pancakes are served at hipster café Season, where it’s good form to immortalize every meal in your Insta feed. Scandinavian flair and French cuisine go hand in hand in the Septime restaurant, where it’s worth checking your credit limit for dinner. The best fish and seafood dishes are on the menu at the Clamato restaurant, French classics with a modern twist at Tannat. Taku Sekine is also known as the Picasso of the kitchen, the chef at Dersou, who brings to the plate what others would hang on the wall.
Monsieur Bleu, 20 Avenue de New York, www.monsieurbleu.com
Season, 1 Rue Charles-François Dupuis, www.season-paris.com
Septime, 80 Rue de Charonne, www.septime-charonne.com
Clamato, 80 Rue de Charonne, www.clamato-charonne.com
Tannat, 119 Avenue Parmentier, www.facebook.com/tannatrestaurant.com
Shopping in Paris
The boutique of Astier de Villatte is the most beautiful on Rue Saint Honoré. If you like ceramics, you will find everything and anything here to fill your wish list for the coming years. Le 66 THE is the city’s largest concept store and has everything that fashionistas want to wear right now. Slightly smaller, but no less cool: The Broken Arm in Marais, which stocks clothing as well as home accessories, books and magazines. Two times Sept Cinq in the city, where up-and-coming talents can present themselves. A favorite: Merci in the Beaumarchais district, which sells fashion and co. on 1,500 square meters and can call the prettiest inner courtyard its own.
Astier de Villatte, 80 Rue de Charonne, www.clamato-charonne.com
Conceptstore Le 66, 66 Avenue des Champs Elysées, www.facebook.com/le66paris.com
The Broken Arm, 12 Rue Perrée, www.the-broken-arm.com
Sept Cinq, 12 Rue Perrée, www.the-broken-arm.com
Merci, 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, www.merci-merci.com
Party in Paris
Hip-hop, soul and funk blast out of the loudspeakers at La Bellevilloise, where people party like there’s no tomorrow. Velvet and golden cages add to the charm of Le Carmen, which seems to have fallen down the rabbit hole into the Baroque era. More modern and stylish: Badaboum, half apartment, half cocktail bar and one hundred percent the best party address near the Bastille.
La Bellevilloise, 19-21 Rue Boyer, www.labellevilloise.com
Le Carmen, 34 Rue Duperré, www.le-carmen.com
Badaboum, 2 bis Rue des Taillandiers, www.badaboum.paris.com
Quarters
Montmartre is the city’s artists’ quarter and is also home to the highest point with the best view. Around the Opéra Garnier and along the Grands Boulevards are the largest shopping malls, above all the Galeries Lafayette. Bastille and Oberkampf are the hottest places to be in the evening, and the Marais is considered the hipster district with the most expensive apartments.
Opéra Garnier, Place de l’Opéra, www.operadeparis.com
Must do in Paris
You don’t have to go up the Eiffel Tower, but you can always watch the glitter from the steps of the Palais de Tokyo at night.
Palais de Tokyo, 13 Avenue du Président Wilson, www.palaisdetokyo.com
Events
Paris Design Week 3. until 12.9.
For ten days, Paris celebrates design: in shop windows, through installations or as part of lectures.
Paris Design Week, Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte, www.maison-objet.com
Adeline Pouline
is an illustrator.
loves black coffee.
hates social distancing.