It’s hard to find something that has never been told about Paris. Everyone knows it’s the most popular tourist destination on Earth, the most romantic city in the world, the capital of chic and fine cuisine, the epicenter of haute-couture, and a hotbed for sublime arts, bohemian culture and luxury lifestyle.
As for the latter, here are 6 top-notch experiences that will offer you a genuine taste of luxury Paris, a taste that will linger in your memory for your entire life.
1. Go for a High-end Shopping Session
From classic designer fashion to quaint boutiques and gorgeous art finds, Paris has everything a shopaholic could wish for. Lined with all sorts of luxury fashion brands and trendy labels, the grandiose Champs Elysees remains one of the most iconic shopping destinations in the French capital. Meanwhile, the nearby Avenue Montaigne, with its world-renowned jewelers and high-fashion designer shops, is beginning to overtake the more famous Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré as a hub for fashion and exclusive consumerism.
If malls and department stores are more your style, head to the tree-lined Boulevard Haussmann, where the fabulous Galeries Lafayette and the elegant Prientemps entice keen fashionistas and high-end customers with exquisite furnishings and homeware, gourmet food and cutting-edge designer collections by such big names as Prada, Chanel or Calvin Klein. Equally appealing is the chic Le Bon Marche, the oldest department store in Paris, and one of the few where shoppers have the opportunity to browse through a vast array of brand-name shops while admiring the striking art deco details that remind of the architectural magnificence of the Belle Époque. Le Bon Marche is also home to Le Grand Epicerie de Paris - an upscale food market with a fantastic range of products from all over the world, from artisan French cheeses and jams to exquisite Spanish cured hams and exceptional tomato sauces from Italy.
2. Taste the Best Chocolate in the World
If you’re a true chocolate lover and connoisseur, than you probably know by now that the most divine chocolates on the planet are confectioned every day in Paris’ tremendous chocolate boutiques, be they charmingly nostalgic with old-fashioned decors, or stylish and appointed with spectacular window displays.
Among the finest of the city’s nearly 300 chocolate shops are the eye-candy Patrick Roger’s flagship boutique in Saint-Germain, where this enfant terrible of the Parisian chocolate scene creates some of the silkiest and most intensely flavored varieties; the sleek designer shop of award-winning artisan Jean-Paul Hevin on Rue Saint-Honore; the luxurious Jacque Genin’s Chocolaterie on the Marais’ Rue de Turenne; as well as the exquisite chocolate shops of Christian Constant and Jean-Charles Rochoux, both situated on Rue d’Assas in the 6th arrondissement.
Other enchanting destinations for chocolate devotees in Paris include the world-famous La Maison du Chocolat with various locations throughout Paris; Richart, which can be found on both Rue Bonaparte and Boulevard St Germain; and the 200-year-old Debauve & Gallais on Rue des Saints-Pères.
3. Indulge in Art
Besides being home to some of the world’s finest and most famous museums, Paris is a city that breathes art around every corner. And with such a richness of prestigious cultural institutions, modern art galleries, stunning monuments and exquisite public displays, it’s no wonder it remains a leader in the art world. What sets it apart, however, is its unparalleled art history as the birthplace of some of the most distinguished art movements, including impressionism, fauvism, cubism or surrealism.
For a truly outstanding art experience in Paris, go see Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Michelangelo’s The Dying Slave or the famous ancient Greek sculpture of Venus de Milo in the Musee du Louvre; get yourself lost between Monet’s gracious Water Lilies in the Musee de l’Orangerie; or head to the Musee d’Orsay for the world’s largest and most impressive collection of impressionist and postimpressionist masterpieces. Titans such as Cezanne, Renoir, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Degas, Rousseau or Gustave Courbet - all have famous works of art displayed here.
4. Dine in Sophisticated Surroundings
An exclusive dinner cruise along the Seine with gourmet delicacies and high-quality live music is the epitome of Parisian romance and a magical experience that offers you the chance to see the famous sights of Paris gorgeously lit up.
Apart from its memorable dinner cruises on the Seine, Paris boasts a plethora of exquisite dining venues, from newly-opened and long-established Michelin-starred restaurants to avant-garde gastronomic temples, culinary institutions with palatial interiors and extravagant wine lists, secret gardens tucked away in the most unexpected corners and chic old-fashioned bistros that serve along with the classics of French cooking, a slice of la vie bohème.
Some of the most distinguished and glamorous restaurants in Paris include the Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée with its glitzy crystal-studded interior; Pascal Barbot’s elegant L’Astrance; and the majestic Restaurant Le Meurice, where the same Alain Ducasse - the planet’s most Michelin-starred chef - serves modern haute cuisine in superb dining rooms brushed up by none other than Philippe Starck.
For a one-of-a-kind dinner with a view, try Le Jules Verne at the top of the Eiffel Tower. The views are spectacular, the food brilliant and the décor modern and sophisticated.
5. Sleep in Comfort and Luxury
As Coco Chanel once said “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise is not luxury”, so what better way to enjoy to the fullest the authentic Parisian lifestyle than to rent a chic, comfortable apartment in one of the city’s loveliest neighborhoods.
Although a newcomer to Paris’ rentals and real estate market, Handsome Properties International, a US-based boutique firm specialized in luxury properties, offers a wide array of Paris apartments for rent, whether you’re looking for long or short-term use, for charming and traditional fin-de-siecle apartments, trendy lofts or ultra-luxurious penthouses.