With Season 4 of the hit Netflix show Emily in Paris set to premiere this week, THE GLOSS team open their little black book to the City of Lights …
Sarah Halliwell, Beauty Editor
I’m absolutely not a fan of Emily in Paris – I couldn’t get through even one excruciating episode (give me Call My Agent! any day). But the city itself always delivers treasures: old favourites like the Rodin Museum, a beautiful house and garden where exquisite forms and faces emerge from the sculptor’s slabs of bright white marble, and newer pleasures such as Buly 1803 beauty apothecary, with its elegant coffee bar. Ideally I’d eat at Cibus in Rue Moliere, a tiny, classy Italian, and, for a treat, Loulous, an always-booked, madly atmospheric spot in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs – the tagliatelle with black truffle is to die for (though it will set you back €45). I long to visit the Spa Clemens with its de-stressing water treatments and sultry underground pool.
Síomha Connolly, Deputy Editor
While Emily in Paris is definitely a guilty pleasure, I don’t follow in her footsteps like some do (there are dedicated tours that will take you around to see former filming locations). I’ve built up my own little black book after many visits over the past number of years. A recent evening spent at Folderol in the 11th stands out, it’s a wine bar that happens to make some of the best ice cream you’ll ever taste. Top tip? The wine bar has gone viral on Tiktok, so to avoid the hoards of visitors looking to take pictures and videos of their wine and ice cream set up on the pavement, go in winter when it’s far too cold for them to consider queueing for ice cream and perch yourself by the bar for a post-dinner pick-me-up.
Another one of my favourite spots in Paris is La Buvette, not necessarily a hidden gem, but definitely off the typical tourist track. It’s a cave à manger, a wine bar that sells food, and you have to eat to be able to sit in. Small plates on rotation include its famous giant white beans with olive oil and lemon, and burrata with orange or vanilla. The experts behind the bar will recommend a beautiful bottle of wine to match, according to your taste. Close by Double Dragon, Le Servan and Brutos are all great for a more substantial dinner afterwards. Brutos is also great for Sunday lunch where you order a roast chicken to share between two or four.
For an afternoon stroll and museum visit, located right beside Centre Pompidou is Atelier Brancusi, one of my favourite gallery stop-offs. It doesn’t take long to walk around and has free entry, so it is a great option if you are tight for time and don’t have hours to spend getting lost in a gallery or museum. And one of my favourite shops, Ofr bookshop, is a must for magazine and art book enthusiasts (Instagram @ofrparis). You’ll find back issues of hard-to-source magazines and towering stacks of art and design books – just give yourself plenty of time to browse, and allow for space in your suitcase!
Penny McCormick, Contributing Editor
I like staying at the bijou Hôtel Récamier, on the Left Bank, with cosy rooms overlooking Place Saint-Sulpice. Space may be limited but the hotel makes up for it with sheer sophistication and a smart location near many Parisian boutiques – it even has a tucked-away terrace.
For shopping, I always make a beeline for the interiors stores on rue du Bac. Marin Montagut’s whimsical curiosity shop (pictured) at 48 rue Madame is also a must-visit. I recently discovered Musée Bourdelle, an oasis in the 15th arrondissement named after the 19th-century French sculptor who lived at the same time as Rodin. In addition to showcasing his works, the museum often hosts interesting fashion exhibitions.
I rarely leave Paris without picking up some (gourmet) tea from Mariage Frères, which has three very chi-chi salons in the city. Thé sur le Nil, an aromatic green tea, is a favourite indulgence as is a candle from the posh Park Hyatt Place Vendôme. The hotel commissioned perfumer Blaise Mautin to create its signature scent – a winning combination of patchouli, orange and vanilla notes that always transports me to the City of Lights whenever I light it.
Sarah Macken, Contributing Editor
I’d start the day with a trip to Come on Eileen, the vintage shop on Rue de Rivoli where there is always a hidden treasure to be found. It’s the complete antidote to the manicured get-ups of Emily In Paris (sorry, Patricia Field). Then, I’d do a sweep through Carel – the shoe store that specialises in patent Mary Janes – and bag myself a pair of 1960s-inspired cleats to rival Jane Birkin.
For lunch, it’s got to be a stop off at Cafe Les Deux Gares (Instagram @cafelesdeuxgares). The bistro is an off-shoot of the hotel of the same name, brought to life by English designer Luke Edward Hall. There’s bold colours, leopard-print finishes and more than one nod to Wes Anderson.