Ah, Paris. City of romance, of the Eiffel tower, wide boulevards, world-class food and wine and mime artists. Well, maybe not so much the last part. But there’s no denying that France’s capital still exerts a powerful hold on artists, bohemians and lovers, meaning that for all its undoubted opulence and wealth, there’s still a lingering sense of vibrancy and excitement here. You’re going to get as much out of a cheap glass of wine and some charcuterie in a tiny, cosy cafe somewhere in St-Germain as you are the most opulent three Michelin-starred restaurant; it just depends where you go and what your expectations are.
A pretty good place to start off is the new Shangri-La hotel, located in what used to be Prince Roland Bonaparte’s palace. The highly respected Shangri-La group’s first European property, this is both grand and hugely welcoming, thanks to the warm and highly professional staff. The building itself is amazing, with vast public rooms that let visitors feel that they’ve headed back in time to the opulent Belle Epoque age. The bedrooms are fantastic as well; the grandest suites offer either unparalleled old-world luxury or, in the case of the penthouse suites, 360 degree views over Paris. Even the ‘lesser’ rooms and suites offer the highest levels in service and comfort, making this a perfect home from home in the city.
Obviously any trip to Paris has to revolve around food, to some extent, and the fine dining restaurant here, L’Abeille ( meaning ‘the bee’) has the quietly confident attitude of somewhere that knows it’s going to become a destination restaurant soon. The acclaimed chef Philippe Labbe serves up cuisine that blurs the boundaries between sweet and savoury, offering delicacies such as foie gras, rack of lamb and salmon with aplomb. What makes it an especially pleasant experience is Labbe appearing at the end of the meal to talk to every single guest about their food, which gives the evening a warmly human touch so often lacking in restaurants of this calibre.
Somewhere else that has returned to former levels of opulence and splendour after a lengthy refurbishment is Les Ambassadeurs, the Crillon’s jewel in the crown. Under the young chef Christopher Hache, the restaurant has regained its Michelin star, and pleasingly manages to strike just the right balance between the formality that the has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed room would seem to deserve and the welcoming and friendly attitude that the staff all exhibit. The food, likewise, is fine dining but without the stuffiness that this might suggest. A main course of rib of beef with samphire, carved at the table, made just about every other sirloin seem anaemic in comparison, and rack of baby lamb in angel-hair noodles showed what could be done to an apparently conventional dish with some wit and imagination. As ever, a flawless 2001 Haut-Medoc, chosen by the discerning sommelier, made the dinner that much more enjoyable.
Of course, one doesn’t just visit Paris to eat and drink, tempting though that would no doubt be. As one of the great cultural capitals of the world, there’s a never-ending variety of exhibitions on, and we managed to brave the queues and crowds at the Musee d’Orsay – probably the city’s finest art gallery – to see the much-hyped Manet exhibition. Juxtaposing his most famous pictures, such as Le Dejeuner sur l’Herbe, with his lesser-known paintings and contextual works by his contemporaries, the exhibition offers a rare insight into his working methods and ideology, bridging the gap between Romanticism and Impressionism. If you are planning on going – and it’s fairly unmissable – be quick; it finishes on July 17th.
As one strolls down the Tuileries on a moonlit night, blessedly uninterrupted by the clichéd sound of accordion players (they ply their trade more or less exclusively on the Metro these days), it’s easy to over-romanticise the situation. But, like Venice and Rome, there’s no denying that the authentic atmosphere of beauty and oh-so-Gallic style means that Paris will continue to be an irresistible destination for lovers of all backgrounds and ages. Long may la vie Parisienne continue.
Quintessentially travelled to Paris on Eurostar from London St Pancras. Eurostar operates up to 18 daily services from London, with prices from £69 return. Tickets are available from eurostar.com.
