Chanel, Givenchy, Dior, Eiffel Tower, Monet, fromage, macaroons, cognac, the Louvre, Les Miserables – I could go on and on about all the famous things France is known for, but the best way to know France is to go there and experience everything on our own. And where can you find the epitome of a glam Paris experience? Where else but in the posh Champs-Élysées district.
In case you’re not familiar with the Champs-Élysées, it is in the 8th arrondissement of Paris and runs between the Place de la Concorde and the Place Charles de Gaulle, where the famous Arc de Triomphe is. This place is bombarded with high-end shopping, culture and art, starting with a variety of theatres, cafés, and jaw-droppingly luxurious shops.
So, if you would like to maximize and live the glam Parisian life, here are the spots that you simply must visit:
Stay
The first question you should ask yourself is: where will I stay? The most acceptable answer will be anywhere that gives you a great view of the Eiffel Tower. Well, it’s not exactly anywhere, it should be in Champs-Élysées. And a glam spot on top of the list is the Hotel Le Pavillon des Lettres, which will give you just that.
This charming hotel will make you feel like you live here. Instead of a giant, bustling lobby filled with tourists, you’ll find a cosy and luxurious lounge that seems like it’s there just for you. From the hallways to the rooms to the elevator, everything feels comfortable and uber-plush.
The hotel has 26 rooms corresponding to the letters of the alphabet. And not just any ordinary alphabet. Each letter represents a celebrated writer wherein which the room is decorated with their work. This boutique hotel is rated 4-stars, but the rooms, beds, breakfast and service is definitely on par with any 5-star hotel. And it doesn’t stop there.
It’s on a quiet street in the 8th arrondissement (right next to the prime minister’s palace, no less!), so you won’t have to worry about honking cars or tipsy tourists waking you at night (although there is an awesome American-style bar across the street called Bugsy’s that’s worth visiting for a pint or two). Despite feeling tucked away, it’s right next door to Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which is the only place to be if you want to shop haute couture. It’s also a few steps from Avenue Montaigne, the Palais de L’Elysée, the Place Beauvau, and several great art galleries (like Opera Gallery, which is also in NYC, is my favorite gallery).
But before we talk endlessly about what’s surrounding Hotel Le Pavillon des Lettres, I would like to share with you two suites where you can have the best glam vacation in Paris, ever. You’ve probably seen photo shoots and magazine ads featuring a balcony with people having breakfast with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Don’t you always wish it was you in the pictures? Yeah, I always did, too.
Several of the suites in Hotel Le Pavillon des Lettres can give you your own picturesque view of the Eiffel Tower. We stayed in two of their best suites, both with incredible views. While having breakfast on the suite’s balcony, or before going to sleep on your fluffy bed, you will be able to see the twinkling tower from the suite called ‘Diderot’ – and go to sleep basking under the magical, twinkling lights of Paris.
Another exceptional suite in this hidden gem of a hotel is the penthouse suite called ‘Andersen’, which also has an incredible view of the Eiffel Tower. The Andersen has a spacious lounging area where you can indulge in the softness of the purple velvet sofa and lounge chairs while sipping your coffee, and enjoying views of the Eiffel Tower at the same time.
Feeling peckish? I was amazed to learn that room service can be ordered 24 hours a day. Yes — that’s right — you can order gourmet food and eat it in bed at 4am, or any other time you’d like! Their menu includes French classics like French foie gras and toast (but please don’t order that — here’s why), a cheese platter, and chocolate fondant (perfect for 4am), to worldwide favorites like grilled salmon fillet and sushi. Yummy!
If you’re also a fan of Denis Diderot or Hans Christian Andersen, then you’ll see passages from their books all over the suite. From the wall on the headboard to the bathroom doors, the passages will be embedded in your head like a last song syndrome. But hey, it’s actually a good thing, it’s your first step to learning French!
The quality of the pillows, mattress, sheets, drapes, and materials used in the suites (especially in the bathrobes!) is something that I can’t stop gushing about. Oh, and the towel warmers! (Note to self: get a towel warmer ASAP.)
Breakfast is included in your stay, and you can either get it sent up as room service (breakfast in bed? count me in!) or eat in the posh dining lounge or terrace on the main floor. I loved that everything was so gourmet, from the cheese plate, to the individually packaged La Perruche cane sugar and the perfectly selected Alain Milliat confitures in apricot, raspberry, honey and purple fig.
After breakfast, I loved either taking a bath in the Villeroy & Boch soaking jet tub while looking out the large picture window, or grabbing a bike out front to work off all that buttery pain au chocolat by cruising around the 8th.
And if you’re hankering for a 5 o’clock cocktail, mix one up just how you like it using the wide selection of liquor and mixers in the hotel’s honor bar, then flip through one of the many style-focused coffee table books in their impressive library. What more could a glam Parisian ask for?
Eat
Food is something that you simply need to indulge in whilst in France. French cuisine is arguably the world’s finest, and would you let the opportunity to eat at these glam places pass? I didn’t think so!
You just have to taste the seafood platter at Le Petit Marius. Their oysters are just superb! And you can be assured that the seafood is fresh, every single day.
Paris is not the pizza headquarters of the world, but if you’re missing this American staple, grab a slice at the surprisingly social Cantina Di Luca.
If you want to have some drinks, here are two great places to check out:
Chez Francis boasts great views of the Eiffel Tower and an exceptional bar.
TonTons, with its leather seats, wool curtains and seat cushions made of tartan and herringbone, is so cozy you’ll want to stay all day with a book and a hot chocolate.
Once you’ve finished shopping on Avenue Montaigne, you can have lunch at L’Avenue, which is Paris’ answer to LA’s The Ivy – an upper-crust scene good for A-list celebrity spotting.
Or, if history is more your thing, rather than spotting celebs you can head to Le Petit Retro, which is one of the last true remaining Paris bistros that was inaugurated in 1904.
If you’re a coffee aficionado, head on to Le Bristol and sip your coffee in a courtyard that will make you feel like you’re in a Fellini film.
If you want your experience of being transported to a different time to continue, have dinner at L’Opera Restaurant. This place is not lacking in grandeur, and can be compared to dining in a futuristic spaceship… inside an ancient palace. Yeah.
And just when you think you’ve tasted the best and managed to to hit all the glam eating spots as a Parisian would, you’d still have to visit the Cristal Room Baccarat from 12 noon til 2 pm for Saturday brunch. Guy Martin doesn’t disappoint.
Now, where shall you go for Sunday’s brunch? To Ladurée in Champs-Élysées, of course. Savor those macaroons like there’s no tomorrow.
Shop
Shopping is definitely on your to-do list while in Paris. One of the most glam spots to shop is in Chanel. But wait, which one? Chanel has TEN, and I say ten boutiques in Paris. Imagine that. Just for comparison, NYC only has three. And yes, that does mean more than three times the selection.
Stay away from the crowded Galleries Lafayette (although it’s worth going just to see the ceiling) and the Champs-Élysées stores, where there are lines (yes, an actual queue!) just to get in, and instead shop on the more relaxed Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement.
Here on Avenue Montaigne, you can find designer shops like Prada, Ferragamo, Celine, Nina Ricci, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Roberto Cavalli, Akris, Giorgio Armani, Dolce and Gabbana and Ralph Lauren. The flagship store of Dior is also located here with a salon upstairs, closed to the public, because this is where the magic happens (aka where haute couture is made). There is also Montaigne Market. Don’t be deceived by its plain exterior, inside you will find dresses made by Stella McCartney, Valentino, The Row, and Alexander McQueen.
Party
Which glamorous Parisian doesn’t like a late-night party? Head out at 11pm to the underground bar Titty Twister (think New York-meets-LA, Rock-meets-Chic in a setting where neon lights clash with black leather jackets). If you want to party hard, this is the place. Has a huge dance floor and music is great! Getting inside is not easy so make arrangements.
After, get your adrenaline pumping in Buddha Bar, where the music is so good they sell their own compilation CDs. Just make sure you don’t lose track of time, as there are no windows and it’s (I’ve heard) surprisingly easy to drink until past dawn at this decadent underground spot.
If you want a more relaxed area than the late night dance club scene in Buddha Bar, you can head on to Café Chic, which gets busy at midnight and is open til 5 am.
And if you’re worried about wearing out your wallet, remember that a good trip to Paris should always focus on the experience of being immersed in Parisian life. Being glam is all about what you feel and how you act — not how much you spend. So sit and relish in the atmosphere at Le Bristol, and feel free to say non to the $2500 bottle of champagne, and oui to the $8 coffee instead (…and maybe a few macaroons, non??). But if you really want to enjoy these glam spots, and insist on spending, then I say save up and prepare for it, because Paris is definitely a city filled with many luxurious (and expensive) temptations.
Take the funicular up to Sacre Coeur. There are a LOT of steps, and the stairway is a cesspool of pickpockets. While you’re in Montmartre, get the foie gras and coddled egg at Le Jardin d’en Face (29 Rue de Trois Freres). It’s incredible.
Do not fall for the old rumors that the French are rude,be to Paris twice and found very friendly people,most speak English,and very polite,Just be prepared for no ice,and luck warm drinks,always use the water taxis when you can,they are cheap and faster and many attractions are right on the river and you can hop off and hop back on again saving your feet and time,which in July in Paris is great since its dose get very warm,but you do see some Americans that do not get it and dress like they are at Disney ,No,No,No,Paris is my favorite European city,no hands down,
You are right, we went to Germany and the Germans are the rude ones. I found the French to be tolerable in Paris, but in South of France they were quite nice. The Germans seemed more “busy” than anything. The real rudies are in Italy. I will never return there after that trip.
great post, Hilary!!!! All I can say is, go to Paris…and love every minute. it is a beautiful city…second only to San Francisco (I am prejudiced my home town) go to the top of the Eiffel Tower…it is a thrill and it is the Eiffel Tower…go to the Moulin Rouge and Maxim”s and be sure and sit outside at a café and just breathe….the Europeans are much smarter about outdoor cafes than we are. See the catacombs , enjoy Montmartre…don’t get too caught up in this guy’s take on this…of course be polite, but be enthusiastic….Parisians love their city and love to show it off. 🙂
Good advice. I once saw a comment from a Frenchman that said Americans show up looking like they have arrived to cut the grass. I must say this is too often true. My fellow Americans show a little class when visiting our European friends.
The bad comments I see here, I take with a grain of salt! Those people must have insulted the French when they went there! I absolutely love France and found the people there to be very kind and POLITE. Even if you only know how to say hello and good bye, do it! They will love you for your attempt. I have adopted a wonderful family in Paris and they are so wonderful. I could never collectively say that a people in itself is bad. Go visiting with an open mind and a kind heart. By the way, all these tips are right on target! Wear long pants, don’t wear sandals with socks, don’t wear loud t shirts; don’t wear stupid looking hats and always be polite where ever you go. also black is a good color to wear and ladies, wear a scarf!
What i remember about Paris. Was there about 5 years ago. Went out for a walk on Sunday morning and the smell of #$%$ was everywhere and you could see where people had been going on the sides of buildings. Thats what i remember about Paris. Normandy on the other hand was charming.
Been to Paris twice, Both times were great, I am fluent in French. Brought gifts of Louisiana hot sauce and Maple Syrup from Quebec.which we gave to small hotel keepers and restaurant owners when we toured the Loire valley. Do yourself a favor after seeing Paris’s monuments head down to Orleans, or Normandy, or Bordeaux. All are close to Paris, and the charm of the French country and hospitality and warmness of it’s people will be evident. 🙂
Not just in Paris but traveling abroad anywhere everyone needs to be more considerate of the host country, at the bare minimum learn a couple of useful phrases and find out what the tipping norm is.
If your vacation time, kids out of school time is August-September and you are planning on France, then go. You’ll be fine. I usually go in July thru August. All the relatives in the Paris-area are on vacation. So have a whole month to get to other places. They usually plan about 7 days for the family at countries outside of France. Last trip went to a beach resort, on the “Med” sea, coast of Sicily. August this year going to Spain, near Barcelona. But if all the time, money you have is Paris, then it’s a great place, take it all in as much time as you have time. In Paris, WALK, it’s a beautiful, historic city. The city of Marseilles, Versailles, the coast of Normandy,etc,etc. Take a train if you can. Ride the local trains, buses if you can, especially if you are traveling with a “local” or someone who speaks French. The French are usually very friendly, courteous, especially the Police, Gendarme. The most rude, unfriendly people are the Middle Easterners, especially if they hear you speaking English . “Looks that could kill”. 🙂 Have a good time.
When and if I visit Paris it is likely to be part of a guided bicycling tour (an awesome way to see a country by the way). And I will be wearing cycling shorts. I walked into the famous Dom cathedral in Cologne, Germany last summer in bike shorts and cycling jersey. A bit strangely dressed for that setting, perhaps. But the priests were only concerned that I remove my cycling helmet from my head. So the French will just have to accept and deal with my not wearing long pants in all cases LOL
They don’t have to accept anything and that is why they label you as rude tourists. Get a grip. You don’t walk into any religious place dressed like that. Go ahead try it at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul- I dare you!!
I think the operative phrase to both of you is “bite me”. You get a grip. This isn’t the 40’s anymore, people don’t dress up in shirts and ties for dinner at home. There are standards of decency but being on vacation and having to dress up is NOT on my list. I won’t break any laws, but if I offend your sensibilities, well, too bad.
You are are not offending my sensibilities but the people whose country you visit. But your response just shows how uncouth you are and hopefully they will excuse you for being a weirdo and not use that broadbrush for the rest of us travelers to their countries. On your left and passing quickly!!
Calling me uncouth and a weirdo in the same sentence. Who here is really uncouth? Yeah, on your left, most likely on a big old Harley. You probably couldn’t pedal a bicycle a mile if you had to. I’m done with this, it’s a waste of time.
i have heard so many times about Americans are so loud and make scenes when french people don’t understand them. Sadly most Americans don’t know common sense. who would wear shorts and a tank top to a church or nice restaurant. i think a lot of other countries think we are boorish and unrefined,which is sad,but true.