Even industry veterans aren’t primed enough to attend Paris Design Week 2024 and its anchor event Maison & Objet without proper prep beforehand. With thousands of exhibiting home and lifestyle brands to discover and a slew of gallery exhibitions and installations to ruminate on, the city-wide event requires a plan.
Consider your travel and trade show recon complete: Below, we’ve detailed everything you need to know before attending Paris Design Week and Maison & Objet, from the fair fundamentals to the installations you should prioritize. You’ll also find recs for designer-approved accommodations and fair-goer haunts for eating and drinking; after all, design-show season in Paris is as much a place to see as it is to be seen in.
What, When, and Where
Held semiannually (in January and September), Maison & Objet draws design buyers from across the globe to scope out the latest debuts from more than 1,800 exhibiting home and lifestyle brands. Spread across seven halls at the Parc des expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte, the trade-only show is divvied up into 19 category sectors—home decor, linens, cooking, and craft among them—for more efficient discovery. The upcoming fall edition will be held September 5–9, coinciding with Paris Design Week.
Launched in 2010 by Maison & Objet to generate a wider appreciation for the design industry throughout the City of Light, Paris Design Week is a celebration of creativity, talent, and innovation taking place in four districts across the capital. The event is open to the public, with gallery exhibitions, showroom events, and collaborative installations held September 5–14.
What to Know About the Fair
Maison & Objet is open to the trade only, and a ticket purchase is required. With seven pavilions’ worth of ground to cover, we recommend allotting at least two full days to peruse the fair. Designer attendees should prioritize the Signature Hall, which showcases the latest from luxury home labels, such as Les Ottomans, Popus Editions, Maison Matisse, and Tekna, in clever and conceptual pop-ups. (For those who are extra diligent, feel free to study up on the makers we loved from recent fall and spring editions.)
The Parc des expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte, home of Maison & Objet, is located about 30 minutes northwest of the heart of Paris, so getting there will require driving (or requesting a taxi or a ride-sharing service, such as Uber) or taking a train from Gare du Nord. (The RER B line drops riders off directly outside of the Parc des Expositions de Villepinte.)
Where to Eat, Drink, and Stay
The birthplace of café culture, Paris is brimming with quintessential spots for a bite between appointments or a jaunty nightcap with industry pals. Take a rec from part-time local Timothy Corrigan: “Beautiful architecture, food, music, and art come together in Restaurant 1728, located in the restored salons of the 18th-century Hôtel Mazin La Fayette,” he shares. He also favors Le Grand Véfour in the Palais-Royal, as well as Restaurant Guy Savoy, the incredibly dapper eatery within the Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint).