Festive Paris—
Style, Cuisine and Hidden Treasures

(Paris)Paris is like someone you love—impossible to explain, and even harder to take sides. Tradition has it you must declare yourself: Left Bank or Right Bank. But how could you? isn’t just one—it’s a thousand places to fall for, and just as many moods. Some are clichéd, and yet we love them still—they’re part of the city’s soul, the familiar furniture of our lives. Others keep changing—and that’s what makes Paris so thrilling.

Amid the winter chill and festive spirit, Paris beckons for shopping. In just 48 hours, one can explore design galleries, legendary department stores, and hidden markets, bringing home treasures that range from couture and jewelry to objets d’art. And yet it’s really about the surprises in between: no visit is complete without indulging in the delights of French cuisine, from charming bistros to chefs’ tables.

Of course, the city’s art de vivre owes much to the excellence of French craftsmanship and a creative freedom further affirmed by the 2024 Olympic Games and the rebirth of Notre-Dame. This season also celebrates the centenary of the 1925 International Exhibition of Decorative Arts—the Paris event that gave Art Deco its name. Its spirit of modernity, elegance, and free-form beauty still inspires a century on.

Just across the street, the long-awaited Fondation Cartier opens its new home inside the former Louvre des Antiquaires building. Reimagined by Jean Nouvel, the vast 6,500 m² venue showcases three levels of contemporary art in the very heart of Paris. The Grand Palais, another key institution, has undergone a complete transformation. Its new central forecourt opens the building to the city, connecting the Champs-Élysées to the Seine through a generous space where pedestrians can wander freely.

In the end, almost unnoticed, all these highlights belong to the Right Bank—perhaps Paris has quietly made our selection for us this time…

Hôtel Balzac
Decorated by the interior design duo Festen, these 58 rooms and suites—some with views of the Eiffel Tower, two with private rooftop terraces—grant the exhilarating feeling that Paris belongs to you. From the lobby, a secret door leads to the gastronomic restaurant, Pierre Gagnaire. You won’t want to set foot outside!

Hôtel Hana
A stone’s throw from the Opéra and Palais Brongniart—the former Parisian stock exchange—this new gem by interior architect Laura Gonzalez pays tribute to Paris’s “Little Tokyo.” Amid bustling streets, Hana offers a serene refuge, blending French Belle Époque sophistication with pure Japanese minimalism.

Ducasse Baccarat
Magic nights await within Baccarat’s Parisian headquarters, once the mansion of the Vicomtes de Noailles. Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse has envisioned this restaurant as a refined, contemporary salon—inviting diners to sip from rare crystal pieces drawn from his personal collection.

Septime
If you love fine dining without the fuss, this Michelin-starred spot on lively rue de Charonne is for you—in a neighborhood with the charm of a Parisian village. Low-key sustainability is big here, with a tasting menu sourced 99% locally and thoughtfully crafted with an eye to micro-seasonality.

Anahi
Just steps from Jean Paul Gaultier’s headquarters, this former butcher’s shop has become a hotspot for fashion insiders. Unsurprisingly, the kitchen serves exceptional meat amid a vintage interior “in its jus” by Humbert & Poyet, with a menu devised by the three-Michelin-starred chef, Mauro Colagreco.

Brasserie l’Emil, Château Voltaire
If this five-star hotel feels as cozy as a private mansion, the bistronomic restaurant makes you feel as if you’re eating at a friend’s house. Meals are served continuously from noon to 10:30 p.m., and guests flow naturally into the intimate La Coquille d’Or bar—a lively village square where everyone eventually crosses paths.

Tea Time at Restaurant Le Dali at Le Meurice
The main problem with Cédric Grolet’s pastries is that they’re too popular. Skip the queues under the Rue de Castiglione arcades—the boutique is takeaway only—and savor his iconic sculpted fruits and pastries during an exceptional afternoon tea at Le Meurice.

Tea Ceremony at Ogata Paris
Who would expect a temple of impeccable Japanese taste hidden inside a Marais hôtel particulier? Imagined by architect-designer Shinichiro Ogata, this 800 m² immersive space features a cocktail bar, fine dining, an art gallery, and a craft boutique. Visitors can enjoy a tea ceremony with seasonal wagashi—traditional Japanese sweets.

Marché des Enfants Rouges
Long before food courts became trendy, Paris’s oldest covered market brought the world’s cuisines together around a single roof. With fresh produce, international stalls, small restaurants, cafés, and even florists, it’s a lively, colorful spot to sit and see, beloved by both locals and visitors.

Le Bon Marché 
The most Parisian of department stores—and the very ‘Bonheur des Dames’ immortalized by Zola—Le Bon Marché pioneered the modern shopping experience. A living landmark, it brings fashion, art, food, and culture together under one roof, evolving with the rhythm of seasons, exhibitions, and happenings.

By Marie
Marie Gas has a rare eye for pieces that capture the subtle essence of French style. At the foot of Avenue George V, her boutique features a curated selection of international designers—from ready-to-wear to accessories and fine jewelry—including creations that can’t be found elsewhere.

Dover Street Market 
This is the kind of place to cross paths with fashion students one moment and find yourself face-to-face with Angelina Jolie the next. Set in the historic hôtel of the Marquise de Sévigné, the space unfolds into a labyrinth of corridors and hidden corners, where fashion keeps its radar trained on the avant-garde.

Marché Paul Bert Serpette
Every weekend, Paul Bert Serpette buzzes with experts, collectors, and lovers hunting for vintage fashion, 20th-century design, classic antiques, tribal art, and curiosities—all of exceptional quality. Across 12,000 m² of open-air alleys and galleries, flamboyant displays whisk you away.

Deyrolle
Deyrolle feels like a journey into a cabinet of curiosities. Founded in 1831, this scientific, educational, and artistic institution houses an atelier-boutique filled with taxidermied animals, insects, butterflies, minerals, fossils, and vintage educational charts—to admire or to take home.

Galerie Paradis
If you don’t feel like venturing to the Saint-Ouen flea market, you’ll find your paradise in this former ceramics factory turned gallery. Over 1,000 m² of vintage gems by major contemporary designers meet emerging talents in scenography worthy of a design magazine.