Art and design lovers can peruse the gallery Devals, also in the Palais, as well as Villa Atrata by Gil Presti. “Gallery Ibu is also one of our neighbors and they present the great work of Eric Schmitt and Jean Grisoni. I like to go visit my friends at Patrick Fourtin and the Galerie Desprez Bréhéret too.”
In the neighborhood, Giroire recommends checking out the Bourse de Commerce, which houses the Pinault Collection; the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts), which is tucked next to the Louvre; and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (National Library). “I pop by from time to time to see the beautiful study rooms.” For local restaurants, Giroire recommends a short walk to the Japanese neighborhood (around rue Saint Anne) for places like Takara (“the first Japanese restaurant in Europe, which opened in 1958”), Tomo pâtisserie, and Café Verlet. You’ll also find Willi’s Wine Bar, a cozy spot with a lengthy menu of wines from around the world.
Giroire’s choice of neighborhood hotels include the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal, designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon and recently renovated by Leonora Beaubois. “All of the rooms have a stunning view of Place de Valois.” Decorated by Festen, Château Voltaire, from Zadig & Voltaire founder Thierry Gillier, is another favorite. Giroire recommends popping into the hotel’s cocktail bar, La Coquille d’or.
7th arrondissement
Go for: omnipresent Eiffel Tower views and a taste of Left Bank life.
If there’s one arrondissement where the Eiffel Tower most often peeks at you around building corners and peers down from large swaths of sky, it’s the 7th. Iconic landmarks abound, from the Hôtel des Invalides, safekeeper of Napoleon’s tomb, to the grassy Champs-de-Mars, where you’ll find merchants vending Iron Lady keychains and picnic blankets holding apéro spreads.
Slightly away from the monuments, you’ll find sleepy streets, charming cafés, and a taste of Left Bank quartier life. Emma Donnersberg, a Paris- and New York–based interior and furniture designer whose studio is on the broad Boulevard de La Tour-Maubourg, tells AD, “I love the neighborhood because it’s central but also residential. The boulevard where I’m located is quiet. But if you want to reach the 8th arrondissement or the Saint Germain, [where there are many design spaces,] they’re both so close.”
Donnersberg recommends visiting rue Cler, “the best market street in Paris.” There, you’ll find multicolor flower shops bursting with seasonal stems, poissonneries, pâtisseries, boulangeries, fromageries, and more. A quick stroll down rue Cler and you’ll discover why Parisians tend to grocery shop daily—for the literal and visual feast.
Rue Saint Dominique is another local favorite. Says Donnersberg, “You can see the Eiffel Tower, the icon of Paris,” from various points. There, you’ll find elegant Haussmannian façades and the red-and-white-striped awnings of La Fontaine de Mars, a bistro institution since 1908 where you can tuck into hearty Gallic fare like duck confit and cassoulet. And as far as restaurants go, Donnersberg recommends Jaîs, which serves innovative takes on French classics, and Brasserie Thoumieux, featuring an Art Deco interior (think red velvet banquets, mirrored walls, and golden pendant lighting) and traditional brasserie dishes like oeufs mimosa and dover sole in a butter sauce. Donnersberg likes strolling over to rue de Lille, a narrow street that runs parallel to the Seine. There, you’ll find well-stocked antique stores, high-end boutiques, and a handful of art galleries. Donnersberg says, “It’s like a little village.”
