Maxim’s de Paris.
Photo: ROMAIN RICARD
Spotlight on Paris: Revisiting the Classic Destinations that Stand the Test of Time
As the city transforms into a living stage for the Olympics, it’s a visually arresting reminder that the French capital is populated with historical landmarks, hotels, and restaurants enveloped in timeless style
Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris. Photo: Bernhard Winkelmann
Every major capital has its perennial favorites that never fall out of fashion. In New York, there’s Bemelmans Bar and Gramercy Tavern. Venice has Hotel Cipriani and Harry’s Bar, and London claims Annabel’s and Connaught Bar. As for Paris, writers, artists, and designers, like Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, and Karl Lagerfeld, helped places like Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots earn landmark status akin to the Louvre.
August is famously known as the sleepiest month in the city, but as the host of the 2024 Summer Olympics, tried-and-true favorites like Bar Hemingway at Ritz Paris are keeping their doors open all summer long, perfect for those in town for the current of over-the-top cultural events and exhibitions.
Here, seven of the must-visit spots worth adding to your list while spending time in the City of Light.
Nonos par Paul Pairet at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. Photo: Victor Bellot
Hôtel de Crillon
During fashion week, stylists and celebrities hold court at 18th-century palace Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel’s marble- and mirror-clad Bar Les Ambassadeurs, known for its extensive Champagne list and some of the city’s finest cocktails, which shift seasonally. On the menu this summer: a cognac-infused take on peach iced tea, and herbal tarragon twist on an Old Fashioned, and an apricot- and cumin-tinged version of a classic Boulevardier.
One of the newer additions to Place de la Concorde’s legendary hotel, chef Paul Pairet is back in Paris after launching four successful spots in Shanghai (including three Michelin-starred Ultraviolet). His first menu in France and Europe since the early 2000s, Nonos & Comestibles par Paul Pairet is a modernized take on traditional bistro fare with haute grilled dishes like scorched bone marrow-topped wagyu and French favorites like onion soup and œuf mayo.
Le Jardin Français at Le Bristol Paris has been reimagined in Schumacher textiles by designer Marie-Caroline Willms. Photo: Vincent Leroux
Le Bristol
As chef Arnaud Faye (of Michelin-starred La Chèvre d’Or in Eze, on the French Riviera) joins family-owned Le Bristol as executive chef, the storied hotel is upping its culinary game with a new, nature-inspired teatime menu crafted by pastry chef Yu Tanaka at rose-filled courtyard garden Le Jardin Français. As for cabinet of curiosities-inspired Le Bar du Bristol, the leopard footstool-clad lounge has introduced a new concept dubbed Le Bristol After Dark. Exuding Studio 54 vibes, the disco ball-adorned, neon-violet-hued room melds musical styles that range from Italo-disco and ‘80s pop to mainstream hits.
View of the Eiffel Tower from Girafe restaurant in Paris. Photo: Romain Ricard
Girafe
One of the toughest tables to snag in town, Girafe has become the place for its see-and-be-seen atmosphere and Eiffel Tower views (the terrace is practically a front-row seat of the Parisian icon). The 1930s brasserie-inspired interior feels intimate and timeless, with a melange of sleek brass, elegant marble and tropical foliage. The seafood-centric menu hinges on the raw bar, which sits proudly on display in an extravagant centerpiece. Plan to splurge on one of the decadent platters of lobster, shrimp and oysters paired alongside coupes of Champagne, and keep an eye out for the tower as it twinkles during the hourly evening show.
Maxim’s de Paris. Photo: ROMAIN RICARD
Maxim’s
Maxim’s may have expanded its empire with a collection of gourmet goods and gastronomic dinner cruises on the Seine, but the legendary landmark—which opened its doors in the late 1800s—is still very much a meeting place of the who’s who. The Art Nouveau eatery has welcomed everyone from Marcel Proust to Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo in its fantastical, flower- and butterfly-filled interiors, which resemble a movie set. The fashion and art crowds flock here just as much for the classic French fare (foie gras terrine, roasted chicken with morels) as for the live jazz singers serenading the tables in the sultry, cherry-red velvet-clad bar.
Hotel Costes. Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Costes
Hôtel Costes
Housed in an 18th-century mansion off the Place Vendôme, Hôtel Costes held reign as a nightlife hotspot for nearly 25 years, curating a vibe (and music) as internationally known as Buddha-Bar and Ibiza’s Cafe del Mar. The iconic hotel has since expanded to include a new addition on rue de Mont-Thabor and the former Hotel Lotti, on rue de Castiglione.
You’ll still find Jacques Garcia’s theatrical design in Côté Saint-Honoré, the original part of the 99-room trio, but in the Christian Liaigre-designed Côté Castiglione, lofts and suites are less opulent, more striped-back—the epitome of quiet luxury. Think monochromatic hues, tons of Calacatta white marble, and warm wood accents. The boudoir-style, candelabra-lit bar is still a hotspot for the late-night crowd who gather for a nightcap and incomparable people-watching, since you’re just as likely to spot a supermodel as an A-lister like Leonardo DiCaprio.
Brasserie Lutetia in Paris. Photo: Courtesy of Brasserie Lutetia
Le Lutetia
Left Bank corner bistro Brasserie Lutetia is one of the rare exceptions of a hotel restaurant that locals also frequent. Catty-corner to Le Bon Marché department store in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the neighborhood favorite is where Parisians linger on the terrace over coffee in the morning or gather for dinner to indulge in chef Patrick Charvet’s signature cognac-roasted lobster and fries.
The 1910 Art Deco beauty—the only luxury Palace hotel on this side of the Seine—Hotel Lutetia is steps from the Olympics action but still feels isolated from the heavier tourist foot traffic in spots like Trocadéro or the Grand Palais. Throughout the summer, Bar Joséphine—named after famous frequenter Josephine Baker—is paying homage to the area’s jazz heritage with live music throughout the week, in addition to a new signature, comic strip-inspired cocktail menu with whimsical drinks like The Pretender, a smoky, salty blend of mezcal, red vermouth, Campari bitter, Taggiasca olive, and black cardamom.
The chic swimming pool at the Hotel Molitor in Paris. Photo: Ludwig Favre
Hotel Molitor
Hotel Molitor’s 1920s Art Deco, porthole-lined piscine—whose ocean liner-inspired architecture was originally designed by Lucien Pollet—once served as a backdrop for fashion shows, galas, and film shoots. Inaugurated by five-time Olympic gold medallist Johnny Weissmuller, the glass-encased pool was where the first modern bikini by Louis Réard made its bold debut in the 1940s.
After a stylish, 60-year run, the building shuttered and the pool became a haven for graffiti artists and rave parties. When it reopened as a hotel in 2014 following a three-year, $109-million renovation, it showcased interiors by Jean-Philippe Nuel and pieces by street artists like Mademoiselle Maurice and Damien-Paul Gal. Now, the fashionable swimming spot is one of the hottest places to post up in summer thanks to DJ-led pool parties (prominently featured in a scene from Netflix hit series Emily in Paris) and buzzy weekend soirées on the Rooftop Molitor—which has partnered with French elderflower liqueur St-Germain on a new cocktail menu.
Cover: Maxim’s de Paris.
Photo: ROMAIN RICARD
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