Iconique Hotspots: Paris

The shopping scene in Paris is getting stronger and stronger every year.
Recently Martine Marguela, Costume National, Armani Collezioni and Dior Homme have opened new stores. And more is to come.

Shopping in Paris is most conveniently done by arrondissement, which are the 20 legislative areas that divide the city. Almost every arrondissement is literally a city within the city, with its own character and features. Fancy a small-town feeling with original little shops -go to Marais. In search for young talents and alternative funky fashion go to the 10th, 11th, 12th and 18th arrondissement. Want deluxe designer wear? The 8th arrondissement with its avenue Montaigne and rue du Faubourg St-Honoré won’t let you down.~Most of us however sooner or later end up in the 1st and 2nd(St-Honoré and Etienne Marcel) or 6th (St-Germain).

In the 1st arrondissement you find the the well-known and must-see multi brand stores Colette and Maria Luisa both with a wide range of luxury brands such as Jil Sander, Helmut Lang and Prada mixed with ultra-trendy French and American designers. Recent openings in the area include a Maria Luisa store exclusively dedicated to Manolo Blahnik, as well as the new Costume National and Martin Margiela stores. Not to be missed is also the Castelbajac concept store which features the famous designer’s wacky sense of humour in clothes, kitschy small items, toys and accessories. A smart stop is Zadig & Voltaire whose shops are scattered around the city. The style is young, urban and upbeat. In the St-Honoré branch you will not only find their own line but also other labels such as Helmut Lang Jeans, Philosophy by Ferretti and Jean Colonna.

Still in the 1st arrondissement the area around Les Halles is a high street Mecca. The worldwide competitors H&M and Zara have two huge stores side by side at rue de Rivoli offering trendy fashion at almost nothing. The area is also home to some of the best sneaker stores in the city with the flagships of Adidas and Puma at the forefront.
A hidden gem is 'Territoire' which sells a great collection of affordable womenswear of both casuals and more dressed-up items.

and Patrick Cox. Only to name a few. A must-stop is Iris who represents the Italian factory that manufactures Marc Jacobs, Allesandro dell’Acqua and Veronique Branquino. The shoes are absolutely stunning. Being at rue Grenelle don’t miss Prada’s original Parisian outlet, the minimalistic Miu-Miu shop and the mono label shop of Martine Sitbon.

Eating in Paris is as good as shopping. Not only will you find the very best restaurants in the world. You will also find restaurants representing every corner of it.

Like elsewhere the club scene in Paris is best discovered by getting the buzz on the town. Cool places that always will host some of the city’s best events are Queen on Champs-Elysées and Café de la Plage in the bustling street around Bastille. These to areas also is the best choice for an evening of improvisation. With a good nose for party, you really can’t miss.

Laissez moi danser... Photo by A. Smedinga

If you still prefer a clubbish feeling but are more into the bar thing, go to resto-bar Nirvana which still is one of the most talked about glam-lounges in town. Also Cabaret (le Cab) in the first arrondissement will provide good opportunities for you to move your legs. This is also a resto-bar with good, Coste-inspired, food. After dinner all tables are wrapped up and the dance floor is yours.
Don't let its outside fool you, Chez Castel may look closed but is bustling inside. Dinner can be had upstairs, two small stairs will lead you to an intimate bar complete with a disco dance floor and VIP secluded tables... prepare for a strict door policy and fashion's finest, but as an Iconique lover that won't be a problem of course...
The ParisParis is this moment's club-to-be, wild parties and (elektro) sounds by for example Kitsune... a must for real clubbers.

It all depends on your interest. However there are some really 'good value for the money' hotels in Paris. One is Hôtel Axial Beaubourg which is newly decorated in the design hotel style.

Hôtel Axial Beaubourg

For an affordable stylish stay Hôtel Beaumarchais in the 11^tharrondissement also is a good choice with its IKEA-styled furnishing. If your into pure luxury you should reserve a suite in the newly opened Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme or its geographical counterpart Hôtel Ritz. However, just make sure your shopping won’t suffer too much.

Want detailed information on the best shopping, eating and staying in Paris?

Pulpo Paris Fashion Shopping Guide is the thing you need and is available at Amazon.co.uk.

The guide is the most comprehensive ever to fashion shopping in Paris, containing more shopping in Paris, containing more than 600 entries...

More information is also available on: www.pulpoguides.com

Pulpo Guide - ISBN 91-970325-1-4

		ICONIQUE HOTSPOTS - PARIS
PARIS	Over the last five years Paris has undergone a remarkable transformation. Even if the French capital has always been and will always remain the city of style, today it also aspires to being the city of cool. Funky bars, new trendy restaurants and of course the flourishing fashion scene make the city more bustling than ever. But remember, the city is huge, and you really should do some studying before getting out with your credit card. Iconique is giving you the essentials for a brilliant stay in the city of light, haute couture and fine cuisine!

SHOP	Where to shop? The shopping scene in Paris is getting stronger and stronger every year. Recently Martine Marguela, Costume National, Armani Collezioni and Dior Homme have opened new stores. And more is to come. Shopping in Paris is most conveniently done by arrondissement, which are the 20 legislative areas that divide the city. Almost every arrondissement is literally a city within the city, with its own character and features. Fancy a small-town feeling with original little shops -go to Marais. In search for young talents and alternative funky fashion go to the 10th, 11th, 12th and 18th arrondissement. Want deluxe designer wear? The 8th arrondissement with its avenue Montaigne and rue du Faubourg St-Honoré won’t let you down.~Most of us however sooner or later end up in the 1st and 2nd(St-Honoré and Etienne Marcel) or 6th (St-Germain). In the 1st arrondissement you find the the well-known and must-see multi brand stores Colette and Maria Luisa both with a wide range of luxury brands such as Jil Sander, Helmut Lang and Prada mixed with ultra-trendy French and American designers. Recent openings in the area include a Maria Luisa store exclusively dedicated to Manolo Blahnik, as well as the new Costume National and Martin Margiela stores. Not to be missed is also the Castelbajac concept store which features the famous designer’s wacky sense of humour in clothes, kitschy small items, toys and accessories. A smart stop is Zadig & Voltaire whose shops are scattered around the city. The style is young, urban and upbeat. In the St-Honoré branch you will not only find their own line but also other labels such as Helmut Lang Jeans, Philosophy by Ferretti and Jean Colonna. Still in the 1st arrondissement the area around Les Halles is a high street Mecca. The worldwide competitors H&M and Zara have two huge stores side by side at rue de Rivoli offering trendy fashion at almost nothing. The area is also home to some of the best sneaker stores in the city with the flagships of Adidas and Puma at the forefront. A hidden gem is 'Territoire' which sells a great collection of affordable womenswear of both casuals and more dressed-up items. Not far from Les Halles is rue Etienne Marcel with a great mix of multibrand designer fashion shops and some of the best street labels. Not to be missed are the two Kabuki stores with labels such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, Costume National and Prada. The young street-savvy customer finds his heaven in Le Shop. Multimedia displays, live DJ’s pumping out the right grooves and clothes from labels such as Lady Soul, Freaks, Carhartt and Just Cow make the experience complete. The same customer will probably also find some items at the second hand store Kiliwatch which magazine section can easily occupy you for an hour or so. For a serious shopper another must is Kokon To Zai. The tiny shop offers one-off pieces and prêt-a-porter from hot new talents as Marjan Pejoski, Viktor & Rolf, Gaspard Yurkievich, Eley Kishimoto and Bernard Wilhelm. If you only have time to shop in one area – go to the sixth and seventh arrondissements (St-Germain). Here you find shops in every price range and every taste, and if you share all fashionistas’ obsession for accessories and shoes, this is as good as it gets this side of heaven. Ther artery of the district is Boulevard St-Germain and the square around the ancient church St-Germain des Près. On the North side of the boulevard, towards river Seine, you find small antique shops and boutiques mixed with some of the most renowned designer shops such as Lagerfeld Gallery, Missoni and Christian Dior. It’s however on the opposite side of boulevard St-Germain you will spend most of the time. Some of the best picks are Emporio Armani in the corner of St-Germain and rue de Rennes. This is one of Armani’s first concept stores offering, besides its wonderful Emporio collection, books and magazines, scents and cosmetics. You will also find one of the best Italian restaurants here. On and around rue du Four many fashion shops in the middle price range are gathered. French brand Et Vous offers affordable trendy fashion for both men and women. Also Paul & Joe is a winner with a Parisian sexy and groovy style, also reasonably priced. Yet another French brand, not so well known outside of France, is Diapositive which normally is fast to adapt to the season’s catwalk trends. The cuts are classic and there is a grown-up feeling to the collections, as seen in the business suits and evening wear. The streets that make St-Germain worth a journey are however rue Grenelle and rue du Cherche-Midi. Especially for the shoe-aholic. Here you find the best shoes and accessories available. Choose from Prada, Christian Louboutain, Sergio Rossi, Michel Perry and Patrick Cox. Only to name a few. A must-stop is Iris who represents the Italian factory that manufactures Marc Jacobs, Allesandro dell’Acqua and Veronique Branquino. The shoes are absolutely stunning. Being at rue Grenelle don’t miss Prada’s original Parisian outlet, the minimalistic Miu-Miu shop and the mono label shop of Martine Sitbon. You may want to check out our fashion feature 'People Watching in Paris' by photographer Alexandra Gaita.	Colette 213, rue Saint Honoré +33 1 55 35 33 90 www.colette.fr Maria Luisa 2, rue Cambon +33 1 47 03 96 15 Costume National 5, rue Cambon +33 1 47 03 02 02 www.costumenational.com Martin Margiela 25 bis, rue Montpensier +33 1 40 15 07 55 JC de Castelbajac 31, place du Marché St-Honoré +33 1 42 60 41 57 Zadig & Voltaire 9, rue 29 Juillet +33 1 42 92 00 80 Hennes & Mauritz 120, rue de Rivoli +33 1 55 34 96 86 www.hm.com Zara 128 rue de Rivoli +33 1 44 82 64 00 www.zara.com Terriroire 8, Rue Fontmartre +33 1 42 33 15 52 Kabuki 25, rue Étienne Marcel (womenswear) +33 1 42 33 55 65 21, rue Étienne Marcel (menswear) +33 1 42 33 13 44 Le Shop 3, rue d’Argout +33 1 40 28 95 94 Kiliwatch 64, rue Tiquetonne +33 1 42 21 17 37 Kokon To Zai 38, rue Tiquetonne +33 1 42 36 92 41 Lagerfeld Gallery 40, rue de Seine +33 1 55 42 75 50 Missoni 42, rue du Bac +33 45 48 38 02 Christian Dior 16, rue de l’Abbaye +33 1 56 24 90 53 Emporio Armani 149, boulevard St-Germain +33 1 53 63 33 50 Et Vous 46, rue du Four (womenswear) +33 1 45 44 70 21 62, rue de Rennes (menswear) +33 1 42 22 25 54 Paul & Joe 40, rue du Four (menswear) +33 1 45 44 97 70 62, rue des Saint-Pères (womenswear) +33 1 42 22 47 01 Diapositive 42, rue du Four +33 1 45 45 85 57 Prada 3,5,7 rue de Grenelle +33 1 45 48 53 14 Iris 28, rue de Grenelle +33 1 42 22 89 81 Miu-Miu 16, rue de Grenelle +33 1 53 63 20 30 Martine Sitbon 13, rue de Grenelle +33 1 44 39 84 44

EAT&DRINK	Where to eat & drink? Eating in Paris is as good as shopping. Not only will you find the very best restaurants in the world. You will also find restaurants representing every corner of it. Since a couple of years the exclusive French Haute Cuisine has got a fairly competitive alternative by the opening of stylish new restaurants with ambition in both decoration and cooking. And the bill surely matches the gourmand temples (or jump even a little higher). It all started with the two times triple-Michelin-star awarded Mr Alain Ducasse’s opening of Spoon Wine and Food which has now been exported in a pace that you wouldn’t be too surprised if it opens next door no matter where you live. Since then we have seen the light of George on the top of Centre Pompidou created by the marvellous Costes brothers, the Philippe Starck-designed Bon and Christian Liaegre-styled Market, the cloning of the New York and London establishment Nobu and now, even a Bon2. Recently opened are La Cantine du Faubourg and Au Coin de la Rue, both with architecture that raise your expectations to a sky high level. As in old Parisian brasserie-tradition it’s all about to see and be seen. With a twist, and sometimes with very high cuisine. Kong may be a bit past its haydays but the view is still magnificent and the Starck interior sets the right mood for a nice lunch or dinner. If your company is more important for the evening than a breathtaking taste in terms of decoration and food, or if your credit card was drawn one or two times too many in your shopping round – Try some of the mid-priced establishments that really give you good value for money and smooth atmosphere. If you still hunger for French cooking La Bastide Odéon, Chez Maître Paul, Les Olivades and Les Bookinistes are some nice restaurants on the left bank. In the same genre but with a higher ambition is La Maxence in Montparnasse and Macéo on the right bank, close to Palais Royal. Next to Macéo the same owner also runs Willis Wine Bar, which is one of the best places in Paris to start your evening. Le Fumoir is a relaxing bar close to the Royal Palace, its interior is remeniscent of a gentlemen's club... also great for afternoon coffee after shopping on St. Honoré. Otherwise some of the best bars are found around Champs-Elysées. Two classics are Korova (with the inspiration from A Clockwork Orange) and Barfly. We advice you to make reservations to avoid disappointment or waiting at the bar... especially during the weekend.	Spoon Food and Wine 14 rue de Marignan (8th) +33 1 40 76 34 44 Georges Centre Pompidou, 6th floor (4th) +33 1 44 78 85 47 Market 15, avenue Matignon (8th) +33 1 56 43 40 90 Bon 25, rue Pompe (16th) +33 1 40 72 70 00 Nobu 15, rue Marbeuf +33 1 56 89 53 53 La Cantine du Fbg-St Honoré 105, rue du Fbg St-Honoré +33 1 42 56 22 22 Kong 1, rue du Pont Neuf Tel +33 1 40 390 900 Bon2 2, rue 4-Septembre (2nd) +33 1 44 55 51 55 Macéo 15 rue des Pétits-Champs (1st) +33 1 42 97 53 85 La Maxence 9 bis Boulevard du Montparnasse (6th) +33 1 45 67 24 88 Le Fumoir 6 rue de l’amiral coligny (1st) +33 1 42 92 00 24 Les Olivades (7th) 41 avenue de Ségur +33 1 47 48 87 87 Bastide Odéon 7 rue Corneille (6th) +33 1 43 26 03 65 Les Bookinistes 53 quai des Grands Augustins (6th) +33 1 43 25 45 94 Chez Maître Paul 12 rue Monsieur-le-Prince (6th) +33 1 43 54 74 59 Korova 33, rue Marbeuf +33 1 53 89 93 93
DANCE	Where to Dance? Like elsewhere the club scene in Paris is best discovered by getting the buzz on the town. Cool places that always will host some of the city’s best events are Queen on Champs-Elysées and Café de la Plage in the bustling street around Bastille. These to areas also is the best choice for an evening of improvisation. With a good nose for party, you really can’t miss. If you still prefer a clubbish feeling but are more into the bar thing, go to resto-bar Nirvana which still is one of the most talked about glam-lounges in town. Also Cabaret (le Cab) in the first arrondissement will provide good opportunities for you to move your legs. This is also a resto-bar with good, Coste-inspired, food. After dinner all tables are wrapped up and the dance floor is yours. Don't let its outside fool you, Chez Castel may look closed but is bustling inside. Dinner can be had upstairs, two small stairs will lead you to an intimate bar complete with a disco dance floor and VIP secluded tables... prepare for a strict door policy and fashion's finest, but as an Iconique lover that won't be a problem of course... The ParisParis is this moment's club-to-be, wild parties and (elektro) sounds by for example Kitsune... a must for real clubbers.	Queen 102, avenue des Champs-Elysées +33 1 53 89 08 90 Café de la Plage 59 rue de Charonne +33 1 47 00 48 01 Cabaret 2, place du Palais-Royal +33 1 58 62 56 25 Nirvana 3, avenue Matignon +33 1 53 89 18 91 Chez Castel 15 rue princesse +33 1 40515280 Le ParisParis 5, Avenue d'Opéra www.leparisparis.com
SLEEP	Where to Sleep? It all depends on your interest. However there are some really 'good value for the money' hotels in Paris. One is Hôtel Axial Beaubourg which is newly decorated in the design hotel style. For an affordable stylish stay Hôtel Beaumarchais in the 11^tharrondissement also is a good choice with its IKEA-styled furnishing. If your into pure luxury you should reserve a suite in the newly opened Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme or its geographical counterpart Hôtel Ritz. However, just make sure your shopping won’t suffer too much.	Hôtel Axial Beaubourg 11 rue du Temple (4th) +33 1 42 72 72 22 www.axialbeaubourg.com Hôtel Beaumarchais 3 rue Oberkampf +33 1 53 36 86 86 www.hotelbeaumarchais.com Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme 3-5 Rue de la Paix +33 1 5871 1234 www.parkhyatt.com Hôtel Ritz 15, place Vendôme +33 1 43 16 30 30 www.ritz.com
PULPO GUIDE	Ready for more? Want detailed information on the best shopping, eating and staying in Paris? Pulpo Paris Fashion Shopping Guide is the thing you need and is available at Amazon.co.uk. The guide is the most comprehensive ever to fashion shopping in Paris, containing more shopping in Paris, containing more than 600 entries... More information is also available on: www.pulpoguides.com Pulpo Guide - ISBN 91-970325-1-4
LINKS	Addtional links: www.pulpoguides.com www.centrepompidou.fr www.leclubparis.com www.disneylandparis.com
	We advice you to print in landscape mode. Hotspots are always changing, we do our best to offer you up-to-date information, our choices are based on our own experiences and those of friends and visitors. Locations and phonenumbers may have been changed without our knowledge.