Bibi's Paris Guide

BIBI'S GUIDE: PARIS

Paris rewards a little curiosity. One moment I'm among the great jewellery houses of Place Vendôme, the next I'm turning over vintage treasures, or lingering over a drink in a hotel bar.

These are the addresses I return to, for the city's particular mix of polish, personality and surprise.

Hotel

Château Voltaire: Our Paris Fashion Week home, and a very good reason to look forward to coming back at the end of the day. We take over the penthouse for the crowd, the atmosphere and that lovely sense of being right in the middle of Paris. The bar is worth building an evening around, too.

Restaurants

Lapérouse: For a dinner with old Paris glamour and a little theatre.

Loulou: A stylish pause beside the Tuileries, with a lively crowd and a lovely setting.

La Renommée: Intimate, polished and made for a proper evening out. Book ahead.

Le Voltaire: A Left Bank classic for a discreet dinner and a room that feels wonderfully unchanged by the rush of the week.

Café Charlot: A Fashion Week favourite for a relaxed lunch, a late coffee or a moment of people watching in the Marais.

Cloche: A good one to keep in mind for dinner or a drink while exploring the neighbourhood.

Le Progrès: A proper bar-tabac: perfect for a glass of wine among the everyday rhythms of Paris.

Le Grand Café at the Grand Palais: A theatrical brasserie inside one of the city’s most beautiful buildings.

Drinks

Hotel Costes: For a little glamour and some excellent people watching.

Maxim’s: A legendary setting for a drink when the evening calls for something unmistakably Parisian.

Bar Hemingway at the Ritz: Small, storied and wonderfully intimate. A classic cocktail stop with a sense of occasion.

Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon: Go for the grand room, the live music and a drink that turns into an evening.

Silencio: For when dinner is only the beginning. The iconic club designed and conceptualised by the late David Lynch is a creative hub for a reason.

Vintage, with a jeweller’s eye

Dary’s
Fine vintage jewellery, with the kind of historic pieces that invite a closer look.

Osprey: An extraordinary address for antique and vintage coloured stone jewellery. Go for the stones, the unusual combinations and the feeling that every piece has a story of its own.

Miller: For signed vintage and antique jewellery, Miller has a remarkable range, from Harry Winston to Cartier.

Les Puces de Saint-Ouen: The grand Paris flea market, just beyond Porte de Clignancourt. Go with time to spare and an open mind: the pleasure is in moving between the stalls, spotting something unexpected and following it wherever it leads.

Vintage, with a jeweller’s eye

The wider vintage circuit

ReSee, in the 16th, has an exceptional fashion edit. Check the site or call before you go; the best pieces can move quickly.
Catherine B., in the 6th, is another address to keep on your list.
Collector Square is a good destination for pre-owned bags, watches and jewellery.
Thanx God I’m a V.I.P. and Skat Vintage bring a sharper, more playful point of view to a Marais wander.
Les Merveilles de Babellou, at Paul Bert–Serpette, is known for its Chanel bags. The service can be challenging, but the stock makes it worth knowing about.
Cornerluxe is another stop for the vintage circuit.

Objects, Books beautiful browsing

7L: Karl Lagerfeld’s bookshop on Rue de Lille is a quiet treasure trove of photography, fashion, art and design books.

Maison Charvet: For shirts with real history and an unmistakable sense of craft. An iconic Paris address, recently acquired by Chanel.

Dover Street Market Paris: A stimulating mix of fashion, design and new ideas, housed in the Marais.

Printemps, Galeries Lafayette and La Samaritaine: Three very different ways to spend an afternoon among fashion, beauty and design. La Samaritaine is as much about the setting as the shopping; Galeries Lafayette brings the spectacle; Lemaire is the quieter, more considered stop.

Follow the jewels

Place Vendôme: Take the long way around the square and look closely. From Bäumer to JAR and Van Cleef & Arpels, this is the heartbeat of high jewellery: extraordinary stones, meticulous craft and houses with stories built into every window.

Mad Lords: A tucked away address on Rue Saint-Honoré, with a more adventurous, independent eye on fine jewellery. Go for pieces with character and a sense of the unexpected.

WHITEbIRD: A beautiful edit of independent jewellery designers, chosen for their individuality and craftsmanship. It carries Bibi van der Velden alongside a remarkable international mix, so it’s a particularly lovely place to see different creative worlds gathered together.