A historical landmark on the left bank of Paris and perfectly located, the Montalembert remains the foremost boutique hotel in the Latin Quarter, a jewel among the famous Parisian museums, designer shops, and sidewalk cafes that surround it. It is situated near the Saint Germain Des Pres district, crossroad of Boulevard Saint Germain, Boulevard Raspail, and Rue Du Bac. It is ideally located in the very heart of the city, on the left bank, close to the Saint Germain area and walking distance from the Orsay and Louvre museums. Private transfers can easily be organized through the concierge desk. This hotel features interior corridors.
Contact Information: 3 Rue De Montalembert, 75007 Paris, France 33-1-45496868
Ironically Pont Neuf, which in English means "New Bridge" is one of the oldest bridges which stretches across the river Siene. Standing at the western point of the Îlele de la Cité—island of the city, the bridge connects the left and right banks of Paris. The bridge was officially inaugurated in 1607, by King Henry IV. The attraction and specialty of Pont Neuf is that, it was one of the first to have pavements. Parisians love to socialize and hang out here, and hence there is no doubt that the bridge is one of the most visited spots in the city.
Contact Information: Îlele de la Cité, 75001 Paris, France +33 8 9268 3000
This museum founded in 1988, was a breakthrough in coin research. The main aim of this museum is to preserve principal coins which were instrumental in the history of currency. And thus it is closely related to the political, economic, sociocultural and technical aspects of the nation. This place is also involved in the research of coin making techniques through the ages.
Contact Information: 11 Quai de Conti, 75006 Paris, France +33 1 4046 5666
Ledoyen is one of the oldest restaurants in the Champs-Élysées vicinity. The grand decor exudes an old-world charm, while the ambience makes you feel like you've been transported back in time. The cuisine is essentially French, but Chef Christian Le Squer does make an effort to reinvent it with his subtle contemporary nuances. Although, the interiors do look a little worn out, it's the food that makes up for it. With delights like Les Coquillages, The Turbot with Truffled Mashed Potatoes and a variety of other classic fish and meat dishes, the patrons are only ever increasing. So if decadent beauty is your fetish and you're willing enough to pay for it, then Ledoyen it is!
Contact Information: 1 Avenue Dutuit, Carré des Champs-Élysées, First Floor, 75008 Paris, France +33 1 5305 1001
Return to the era of Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless (1960), when you tour the City of Lights in a French Convertible 2CV. With its one of a kind tour, you will see "Paree" as it was meant to be seen, and might have been seen during the time of the classic French film Breathless. See the Eiffel Tour, Champs-Élysées, Musée du Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, along with the unusual insight of your tour guide.
Contact Information: 2 Place du Palais Royal, 75001 Paris, France +33 664 50 4419
A glorious red and gold, 18th-century dining room, resplendent with mirrors and chandeliers, greets guests as they enter. Within its palatial boundaries, Chef Guy Martin displays magical culinary artistry, as he skillfully whips up his trademark dishes like Tourte d'Artichauts et Légumes Confits and some divine concoctions, such as Ravioles de Foie Gras à l'émulsion de Crème Truffée. Business lunches are often organized during the day, but, at night, a romantic atmosphere takes over. The staff takes excellent care of all your gastronomic needs, so feel free to make demands. However, patrons naturally respond to the formal and courteous atmosphere, so make a mental note about table manners! Don't let the long names on the menu intimidate you. Indulge, and let the flavors linger. Even longer lasting, however, are memories of this splendid dining experience.
Contact Information: 17 rue de Beaujolais, 75001 Paris, France +33 1 4296 5627
Stretching for two kilometers (one mile) and lined with trees, les Champs-Élysées has become the center for festivities and official parades. It is a magnet for tourists and for the multitudes who enjoy evenings spent strolling along the broad and picturesque avenue. The many cinemas, cafés, and restaurants tempt visitors to rest their legs for a few hours, tired from walking by the designer boutiques, banks, and embassies also situated in this chic neighborhood. The avenue was originally created in 1667 by André Le Nôtre, Louis XIV's gardener, in order to improve the view from the Jardin des Tuileries. The avenue was lenghtened at the end of the 18th Century, to run from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe.
Contact Information: Avenue des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris, France +33 8 9268 3000
Square du Vert Galant is a little, green haven stuck out in the middle of the Seine. Tree-lined and set below the level of Pont Neuf, it has the feel of a hidden garden, a place to come to sit and read, to find some repose amongst the pigeons and sparrows. You can quite escape the fact that you are smack bang in the middle of Paris, especially with the pleasure boats trundling up and down. Certainly worth taking the time to find a shady spot and take stock.
Contact Information: place du Pont Neuf, 75001 Paris, France
L'Ambroisie, the renowned restaurant of chef Bernard Pacaud, serves delectable meals using the finest fresh and seasonal ingredients. These often include luxuries such as truffles and chestnuts, woven into traditional dishes that are made exceptional by their apparent simplicity. Chef Pacaud frequently makes substantial changes to the menu in order to consistently offer meals using only the highest quality ingredients at the peak of their season. Reservations must be made far in advance.
Contact Information: 9 Place des Vosges, 75004 Paris, France +33 1 42 78 51 45
A dinner at Le Cinq can give you a good idea of what fine French dining is all about. With a decor that resembles the dining room of a royal palace - carpeted floors, elegant chandeliers, ornate adornments et al, this restaurant is probably the best place to go with someone whom you really want to impress; that is, if you're willing to spend a good amount! The food, prepared under the expert supervision of well-known Philippe Legendre includes traditional French classics that are made, garnished and presented with all the charm and etiquette that the French are known for! The atmosphere is rich with an elite crowd and views of the hotel's courtyard and garden. With all of this, three Michelin stars seem inadequate!
Contact Information: 31 Avenue George V, Hotel Four Seasons George V Paris, 75008 Paris, France +33 1 4952 7000
Teach your child or teenager art appreciation on your next Paris family vacation, where the whole family can experience fine art at art fairs, contemporary art markets and museums, from the famous Louvre, to the smaller Musée Picasso.
Only a few people know that the third largest museum worldwide used to be the main residence of French kings and emperors for six centuries. The Old Fortress was erected in 1190 under the reign of King Philippe Auguste to protect the kingdom from the invasion of northern tribes (the Vikings). During the 14th Century, the palace was extended under Charles V and became from time to time a royal residence. The greatest changes in the original palace were made under King François I. The medieval Grosse Tour was destroyed and replaced by a sumptuous palace, still considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. In 1594, Henri IV decided to build a passage between the Tuileries Palace and Louvre Palace, still known as the "Great Gallery." The "Cour Carrée" was part of a vast program conducted under Louis XIII and Louis XIV to embellish the king's residence and is a symbol of the classical period. After Louis XIV moved to Versailles, the Louvre knew a static period. The most recent construction is the Glass Pyramid erected by Leoh Ming Pei under French President Mitterrand, which is now the main entrance to the museum. With 35,000 pieces and a surface of about 68,746 square meters (740,000 square feet), the Louvre cannot be taken in in one day. -Aurélie Pichard
Contact Information: 34 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris, France +33 1 4020 5824
Paris just wouldn't be Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Fair, at 300 meters (984 feet) it was then the world's tallest building. Not everyone was happy when it was first built; many considered it an eyesore and wanted it pulled down, but today it is one of the world's most visited monuments. The first and second floors can be reached using the stairs, and elevators take visitors to the magnificent view at the top.
Contact Information: 5 avenue Anatole France, Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris, France +33 1 4411 2323
The main axis of the city - it is part of the layout of Paris. The right bank indicates the northern part of the capital, the left the southern side; it is west of this bank that the elegant Saint Germain-des-Prés district is to be found. The Seine is spanned by 36 bridges, one of the most beautiful being the Pont Alexandre III. It is also lined by the most prestigious buildings in Paris, including the Grand Palais and the Invalides. An original way of viewing these sites is to embark on one of the many pleasure boats stationed close to the Alma Bridge.
Contact Information: Quai Branly, (Esplanade des Invalides), 75007 Paris, France +33 1 47 42 90 56
Omnipresent in the press, one of the most talented French chefs, Pierre Gagnaire, is highly acclaimed by international food critics. His Paris restaurant (he also opened one in New York and in Tokyo) was awarded a third star by Michelin in 2007 and ranked third best restaurant in the world by British magazine Restaurant, calling its chef "France's Genial Culinary Magician." If haute cuisine is an art, Pierre Gagnaire is a virtuoso. Accommodating the most exquisite ingredients with the most surprising flavors in unexpected combinations, the chef delivers on his promising menu. Praised dishes include, the Faux Vol-au-Vent et Champignon Sauvage (crawfish in a Pouilly-fuissé reduction served with wild mushrooms), the Turbot et Friseli (roasted turbot served with lettuce velouté), the Fricassée de Homard Bleu (blue lobster), and the Ris et Rognon de Veau (calf sweetbread in papaya and walnut juice). Indulge in dessert with the Neuf Dessert de Pierre Gagnaire, a selection of nine desserts.
Contact Information: 6 rue Balzac, 75008 Paris, France +33 1 5836 1250
Sumptuousness, elegance, indulgence—the words alone are enough to make you purr with pleasure.
Of course luxury, including luxury travel, is not as straightforward a concept as the covetous among us might imagine. In the 16th century the word had a negative connotation of lasciviousness and sinful self-indulgence, and though for the most part the adjective has lost its negative sense, luxury still comes in for criticism from environmentalists and local community activists.
These debates, however, cannot change another fact: While luxury has an element of exclusivity and excess, it is also subjective. Many dream of 100-foot yachts, French chateaus, Michelin-starred restaurants, and palm-fringed, white-sand beaches, but the ultimate luxury for a harried urbanite might be as simple as a tent, a sleeping bag and a sky full of stars.
Whether you’re planning your honeymoon or starting to use the phrase “the honeymoon’s over” frequently, a romantic getaway is just the thing to inject some passion into your life.
Leave the kids at home and take a couples cruise, arrange an amorous getaway at a beach or mountain resort, or try a food and wine tour through new territory.
There are many options for couples looking to escape the day-to-day and get better acquainted (or re-acquainted). Paris has always attracted couples interested in sampling life’s finer things, as have most major destinations in Italy: Venice, Florence and Rome (the City of Love). California’s Napa Valley has plenty of romantic appeal thanks to the wealth of that most passion-inducing beverage—wine. Finally, island destinations such as isolated Faafu Atoll in the Maldives, offer beautiful scenery for crowd-weary couples.
This 1930-decorated venue catered for numerous Parisian key figures including Jean-Paul Sartre himself. Don't worry though - the past is not forgotten and the café still welcomes many regulars looking for a gentle way of life. Nowadays, the clientele tends to be mainly journalists and artists. Try the wonderful cocktails of this café and the simple and good dishes for lunch or dinner.
Contact Information: 11 bis Rue Delambre, 75014 Paris, France +33 1 43 35 38 54
