Let us begin with cake. Right there in the window of a shop on the corner of rue de l’Annonciation and rue Lekain in the chic Passy district in western Paris, two women are sprinkling the latest creations from the oven of Aux Merveilleux de Fred with a snowfall of shaved white and dark chocolate. No ordinary cakes here, but rather mountains of cream, meringue, ganache, and other assorted ingredients absent from a dieter’s menu, all coated with the aforementioned chocolate shavings.
In addition to these masterpieces of pâtisserie are steaming loaves of fresh bread, equally irresistible in fruit and chocolate varieties. The scents emanating from the small establishment are so heavenly, so utterly divine, that Aux Merveilleux de Fred must be considered the ultimate bakery in a city where bakeries are more numerous than discarded Métro tickets.
It is not surprising that the city of Paris, the ne plus ultra of travel destinations, offers among its daunting museums, charming streets, and tantalising shops a cornucopia of excellent experiences for its visitors. Naturally, though, what is considered the best by one person is superceded by the choice of another, but no one can deny that Paris is a city of extremes, with a preference for the extremely good. In the end, we each find our personal pieces of perfection.
Take shopping. Small boutique on Saint-Honoré or large stall at Marché Biron? Estate jewellery at Drouot or diamonds at Harry Winston? Frocks out of the bin at Tati or haute couture made to order in the marvellous Marais atelier of Azzedine Alaïa? We all have our favourites.
That goes for museums, too. No one can deny the grandeur of priceless collections at the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, but somehow the chic ambience of the Musée Guimet, an assembly of Asian art located on Place d’Iéna just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower yet devoid of its crowds, and the Musée Cernuschi, whose own collection of Asian art – smaller but no less outstanding and crowned by an enormous Buddha staring blithely into the trees of the adjacent Parc Monceau – supplant their more famous brethren in personal satisfaction for the experienced traveller.
Another example: those who venture to the little-known Musée des Années 30 in western Paris will find a wonderful collection of 1930s art in a surprisingly unobtrusive building.
Though Paris has no shortage of museums like these that seduce and educate in equal parts, it is the Louvre, perhaps the world’s most celebrated museum, that offers the ultimate museum tour. Tea with Mona Lisa? For a princely sum, the largest museum in the world can be visited in private on Tuesdays when it is closed or, more romantically, in the evenings after normal business hours.
With tea goes macaroons. Paris, or rather Parisians, are in the midst of a years-long love affair with egg whites and sugar – a macaroon boom unprecedented in the city’s storied history. Witness the throng of tourists jamming the doorway of Ladurée, clamouring for a piece of French sweetness on the Champs-Élysées. It is a miserable spectacle, this human submission to the will of the macaroon.
While those customers keep Ladurée in brisk business, no sensible Parisian would dare be seen jostling for a bit of confectionery. Instead, the city’s macaroon cognoscenti – and they are legion, if inconspicuous – head straight for rue Cambon and Pierre Hermé, where the discreet elite meet for a sweet.
Macaroonites know that the excellence of their objects of desire is measured in the precision of the baking of the cookie and the burst of flavour in its filling. Monsieur Hermé, who recently opened a boutique in Galeries Lafayette Dubai, manages both to perfection, making his the ultimate macaroon.
As a city endowed with an abundance of superb hotels, Paris has no shortage of exquisite and expensive accommodation options. Yet even among the uppermost echelons, some of these vaunted lodgings offer a special something that’s missing from their more clinical counterparts. It is ironic, then, that one of the city’s most welcoming hotels maintains a stiff upper lip in the proud tradition of its namesake.
Hôtel Westminster is the oldest hotel in Paris. Named after one of its 19th century guests, the Duke of Westminster, the Westminster is a long-respected landmark where British and French styles commingle to bring the best of both to the Paris hotel scene. Enjoying a perfect location on rue de la Paix between Place de l’Opéra and Place Vendôme, with the Printemps and Galeries Lafayette department stores a short stroll away, Hôtel Westminster is a shopping maven’s haven in a sea of spendid opportunities.
The oh-so-French Art Nouveau glass awning above the entrance signals the way into a drawing room of a lobby and the club room immediately by its side. Even on the Isles themselves, more British a club cannot possibly exist; with racing-green leather Chesterfields, sunken armchairs, woodwork replicating that of Canterbury Cathedral, and faded photographs of famous guests framing the entire scene, Hôtel Westminster’s lounge keeps a tight grip on its legendary status as a venue that has seen many a celebrated face smile upon it.
Upstairs among the hotel’s 102 rooms are 22 suites, each named for the boutiques lining Place Vendôme and offering well-serviced accommodation in apartment-like settings more reminiscent of country manors in Dorset than hotels in Paris. The location, however, is unmistakably Parisian.
If a palace hotel is an absolute must, there is good news for the sybarites of the world. New on the hotel scene is the latest suite at another establishment named in honour of British royalty. The elegant Four Seasons George V, located on the avenue of the same name in the city’s glamorous Golden Triangle, has just unveiled its Penthouse Suite, an airy aerie where flowers inside and rooftops outside combine to create a unique environment for the discerning temporary Parisian.
With its own terrace (more adventurous guests dare climb a ladder to a tiny service platform one floor above) serving as the prow of this ship of luxurious accommodation, the Penthouse Suite offers the opportunity to enjoy this exquisite hotel from a new perspective, literally. Do descend at some point to George V’s galley, aka Le Cinq, to enjoy the ambience and sophistication of executive chef Éric Briffard’s domain. With the most sought-after tables in Paris, Le Cinq ranks as the ultimate Parisian dining experience.
Beyond borders
Perhaps previous visits to Paris have made the city too familiar and have aroused a curiosity for what lies on the other side of the Boulevard Péripherique? If so, there is no shortage of options beyond the typical visits to Versailles and Giverny. Two come to mind as the best of their respective genres.
If it weren’t for its cathedral, Chartres would be considered a lovely little village, itself worthy of a visit, but the UNESCO World Heritage building looms over the village physically and spiritually. Perhaps this is a good thing; while the hordes ooze from buses to genuflect before the Cathedral, other visitors are able to explore Chartres’ charming mediaeval quarter in relative peace.
Among the sights to be seen is an old triangular house on a corner, which in summer serves as a stem for the multitude of flowers that owner, author and tour guide Malcolm Miller suspends from his windowsills. Malcolm has dedicated his entire life to Chartres and its hallowed edifice; he knows every window of the cathedral with unrivalled reverence for their creation and existence.
While the cathedral authorities consider hapless Malcolm as something of a pane in the glass – after all, a layman cannot be seen to be more reverent than the pious – those who have been lucky enough to be led through the temple of colours in his company would no doubt consider him to be the ultimate guide for one of the essential excursions from Paris.
While the austerity of Chartres Cathedral is brought to life by a simple man, the grandeur of another building has a life of its own. The Château de Fontainebleau is one of the most fabled tourist attractions in France, yet this fascinating structure, also listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, has had a long history as a royal residence and sanctuary for the arts, two aspects brought together today by the patronage of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose donations are helping refurbish the Château’s jewel box of a drama theatre.
Like Chartres, Fontainebleau is also a ‘real place’ beyond its star attraction; the town is an elegant suburb of Paris and serves as the home of respected business school INSEAD, an institution that further enhances Fontainebleau’s relationship with the UAE, with a campus in Abu Dhabi.
Excursions in and around Paris are easily arranged with the ultimate car-rental company, Elite Rent A Car, which provides the latest ultra-luxury vehicles for those who want to see Paris at the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Ghost or from the back seat of a chauffeured sedan. Understanding the needs of discerning travellers far beyond the typical car-rental company, Elite ensures every automobile experience is rewarding and memorable for all the right reasons – a rather apt analogy for Paris itself.
Oui, c’est vrai, Paris is full of stellar experiences. Ultimately, though, whether through cakes, clothes, or cars, the ultimate Paris is the one you create for yourself.
The Golden Book
Four Seasons George V
Tel: +33 1 49 52 70 00
www.fourseasons.com/paris
Hôtel Westminster
Tel: + 33 1 42 61 57 46
www.warwickwestminsteropera.com
Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Tel: +33 1 45 20 13 82
www.auxmerveilleux.com
Pierre Hermé
Tel: +33 1 43 54 47 77
www.pierreherme.com
Chartres office du Tourisme
Tel: +33 2 37 18 26 26
www.chartres-tourisme.com
Château de Fontainebleau
Tel: +33 1 60 71 50 70
www.musee-chateau-fontainebleau.fr
Elite Rent a Car
Tel: +33 1 40 24 24 24
www.eliterent.com
Paris Convention and
Visitors Bureau
en.parisinfo.com