Try some tea and a coco-banane pastry at Boulangerie Bechu, a striking Art Deco boulangerie complete with starburst light fixtures, 1930's mirrors and curved display cases in the heart of the chic 16th Arrondissement that dates back to the 1890's. Check out more of Paris' best boulangeries.
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Thanks to a $100 million top-to-toe renovation, the famous stained-glass Art Nouveau cupola of Printemps, the grande dame of les grands magasins is gleaming again in Paris’s Ninth Arrondissement.
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There is no more sumptuous Belle Époque dining room in all of Paris than the Restaurant of the Musée d'Orsay, overlooking the Seine and the Right Bank. The frescoed ceiling alone is worth the visit. You can imagine Marcel Proust and his friends sitting here (when it was the ballroom of the hotel adjoining the Orsay train station), gossiping of the rebels not yet known as the Impressionists, whose work now hangs in the museum. The recently renovated kitchen specializes in subtly simplified versions of traditional cuisine—grilled sea bream fillet or duck-and-peach supreme served with gratin dauphinois. The two-course prix fixe lunch is a bargain at only $20.
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Leave the hotel early on weekend mornings and take the metro to the far left bank outpost of Vanves, then walk a few blocks to Avenue Marc Sangnier and Avenue Georges Lafenestre for this small, excellent market, also an open secret among dealers. (Rumor has it that after dealers shop here, they bring their treasures to the far larger Porte de Clignancourt later in the day.) The tables brim with vintage boxes, glassware, old Parisian periodicals, posters, and other souvenir-ready material. Prices are congenial, but remember to bring cash—the ATM machine is a bit of a hike.
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On the Left Bank, the well-organized Les Trois Marches de Catherine B has been selling vintage purses for the last 15 years. "But they must be presentable," the gentleman behind the counter will tell you with charming understatement. In fact, the offerings are impeccable, and you’ll be hard-pressed not to pick up something—perhaps a 1960 Chanel "Mademoiselle" for a tempting $1,100—from the pristine array. From the article Secondhand Shopping in Paris.
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You can now savor Paris in slow motion. The Hôtel Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice are offering a classic way to see the city: on a vintage-style Comète cruiser. The bikes—in geranium red and moss green—are free for hotel guests to use and are equipped with a helmet and chic nylon saddlebag.
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A satisfied customer at Café des Deux Moulins.
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Outdoor seating at Melac, after closing time.
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