Paris: best shopping and eating

For a truly amazing experience, I recommend Restaurant L’Assiette, a Michelin-star French restaurant in the 14th arrondissement. What makes this place fabulous is chef David Rathgeber’s famous cassoulet. It’s the best in Paris – a combination of beef, pork, duck confit and sausages. His cooking is world-renowned, and I love that he has opened a produce store next door called L’Arrière Cuisine, where you can walk in and purchase meals from the shelf. It’s small, fast food but great quality.

French markets are always an essential when in Paris, too. Le Marché aux Puces is where all the antiques can be found. I bought a set of old copper pots and saucepans. Everything from weird taxidermy to vintage glasses, it’s a crazy, full-on and worth visiting.

Michael Lo Sordo, fashion designer

I love browsing the shelves at Librairie 7L – the Left Bank bookshop founded by Karl Lagerfeld in 1999. It’s known for its art, architecture and fashion books. I always visit Le Bistrot Paul Bert; the steak and peppercorns changed my life and the dessert soufflé is a must-order. The Louis Vuitton Foundation designed by Frank Gehry is highly recommended, and take in The Centre Pompidou’s modernist exterior, designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.

A trip to Paris isn’t complete without going to Officine Universelle Buly 1803 – a beautiful curation and where I like to get my carrot oil, as it’s the best for a healthy sun tan without the sun.

My home away from home is Hotel Crillon, which is also my hotel showroom during Paris Fashion week. It’s a Rosewood hotel that is truly special. It’s where Marie Antoinette learnt to play the piano, and now you can have breakfast in the spot where she did. I also like to go to Blondie Coffee Shop, which is near Holybelly, a cafe run by a couple from Paris who lived in Melbourne for a while. I have been going there for years. He makes a fabulous honey stacked pancake dish when you need a bit of love.

Rafael Bonachela, artistic director of the Sydney Dance Company

I took the Sydney Dance Company to perform in Paris on two occasions, in 2018 at the Palais de Chaillot, and again in 2022. That really started our dance company’s love affair with the city and I got to explore a lot of Paris.

The French live and breathe culture, it’s ingrained in who they are. Dance is a discipline they really support too. I recommend you visit The National Theatre for Dance and see any performance any day of the year. Or visit Palais de Chaillot because it’s right in front of the Eiffel Tower and you get a great view of the iconic tower.

I also love to shop when in Paris. The menswear buildings dedicated to men’s fashion is outstanding; I recommend Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché; it’s where you find all the designers under one roof, from my favourite YSL and Loewe to discovering designers you have never heard of before.

When it comes to cocktails, I visit Le Mary Celeste – they specialise in French style tapas and great drinks. Being Spanish, I love the approach to tapas here. I also love to find quirky gifts at Merci Paris – a fabulous concept store where I buy a cool lampshade or an incredibly designed wine opener.

Chyka Keebaugh, businesswoman, author and ambassador for Blue Illusion

My favourite restaurant in Paris for lunch is L’Avenue – perfect for people watching, and where all the fashionistas love to go. Girafe Paris is also iconic, with the Eiffel Tower in the background for the perfect photo. Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris is another pitstop. My husband Bruce always orders a martini and I have a cocktail special. I love the sexiness of this bar design.

I discovered a unique shop in Paris via Instagram seven years ago, and I go back and visit every time. It’s called Marin Montagut. He is a famous French illustrator and creator, known for his interior decorations. He is quirky and puts chairs around parks in Paris, makes watering cans and has a unique way of styling things. I was in heaven here. It’s a touch of France where you find something special to bring home. I also love walking around the Marais and buying a quiche, drinking a glass of rosè and enjoying the outdoors.

I went to Paris twice last year and can’t recommend the train from London to Paris enough. It’s a 2.5-hour trip, they serve beautiful champagne and a great lunch, and you watch the world go by and arrive in the middle of Paris.

Jacqui Felgate, radio host on 3AW and Chadstone ambassador

When in Paris I go to Citypharma Pharmacie – it is well known to locals – four levels of the most amazing skincare and beauty products and very different to what we have in Australia. I bought the most sought after A313 Vitamin A Retinol Cream over-the-counter, which you can’t purchase in Australia.

We took the kids to Paris last year, and they loved Carette cafe– it’s next to the Eiffel Tower and where you go to order the most Instagrammed hot chocolate with whipped cream. They do the same at Café de Flore – it’s iconic for a reason. They make a ceremony of it for the kids, and it’s such a French thing to do. You’ll also find Celine handbags you can’t source in Australia at Le Bon Marché in Paris.

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