Location Courte Durée 3e Arrondissement, Paris:
3ème Arrondissement
Chic yet very laid back would perhaps be the best set of adjectives to describe this central right bank arrondissement. Beautiful one-off stores and friendly restaurants abound. And in summer as the city moves outside, the third in particular becomes one big terrace, rosé glasses lifted aloft in a resounding ‘cheers’ to long, warm evenings and wonderful food.
Restaurants
NANASHI // instagram.com/nanashi_bento
A bohemian haunt beloved of the fashion crowd who flock to this local cantine for organic, Japanese-inspired cooking. Leave room for the matcha cheesecake…
CHEZ OMAR //
According to Omar’s fans, this third arrondissement institution serves the best couscous in town. Watching and waiting is part of the fun – your fellow diners could be fashion designers or film stars. The credit card machine has been broken for the past five years so make sure you are carrying cash.
LE MARCHÉ DES ENFANTS ROUGES //
More of a street food hub than a traditional market (although there are a couple of vegetable and flower stalls), this is the place to stop for lunch when shopping in the 3rd. Chez Taeko and Les Enfants du Marché are the two places to head for once inside.
Stores
L’ART DU BASIC // instagram.com/artdubasic
If you ask any Parisian her secret to year-round chic and easy dressing she will explain that it is about only wearing black, white and grey with a dash of navy thrown in when you need some colour. This store has taken the theory and put it to excellent use: good quality, simple basics in black, white and grey in a variety of styles and cuts. Simple, when you know how.
MERCI // merci-merci.com
This hybrid interiors / fashion / whatever-takes-the-owner’s-fancy store and restaurant has been drawing in the crowds for nearly a decade now. You will know you have arrived when you see the shiny red Fiat 500 smiling at you from the courtyard.
JÉRÔME DREYFUSS // jerome-dreyfuss.com
Bags of bags and beautiful shoes are the order of the day chez Monsieur Dreyfuss (who also happens to be the husband of Isabel Marant). Cool French girls swear by his bags for just the right amount of slouch and soft leather.
LOUYETU // louyetu.fr
This jewellery bar in the rue de Turenne is a must-visit spot for pretty and inexpensive pieces designed by the young and lovely founder Camille. The price point means you can buy lots of rings and wear them on every finger which is a very Parisian thing to do.
OH MY CREAM // en.ohmycream.com
Stock up on cult French beauty brands such as Joelle Ciocco, Leonor Greyl and Christophe Robin in this pretty store that sells only la crème de la crème.
BONTON // bonton.fr
Clothes, toys and things you never knew you needed for a child’s bedroom jostle for space in this wonderfully chic yet bohemian bazaar on the boulevard Beaumarchais. The photobooth and children’s hairdresser are the stars of the show.
Location Courte Durée 3e Arrondissement
Arts & Culture
GALERIE EMMANUEL PERROTIN // perrotin.com
Uber-gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin opened his first space in the Marais in 2005. Since then he has added three new buildings to bring his exceptional exhibitions of contemporary art to a wider audience.
THE POMPIDOU CENTRE // centrepompidou.fr
You may recognise the colourful pipes that peek through the traditional Parisian streets of the Beaubourg area, hinting at the avant-garde art that lies within. Yet this is no game of hide and seek. Opened in 1977, the Pompidou has become a hub for Parisian culture – displaying the work of artistic icons such as Ives Klein, to Man Ray, as well as hosting theatre shows, live debates and workshops for children. As groundbreaking now as in its infancy.
THE PICASSO MUSEUM // museepicassoparis.fr
Born in Spain, Pablo Picasso spent a great deal of time living in Paris from his ‘Blue Period’ through to his later Cubist and Surrealist works. The collection on display reflects the true variety and legacy of a master of art through the 20th century, set against the backdrop of the former Hôtel Salé – an architectural masterpiece of 17th-century Paris. A visit here is a chance to travel through time, through great art.
The Antidote
LE TIGRE // tigre-yoga.com
Calm and beauty are the order of the day at this local sanctuary where yoga and pilates can be followed by a massage, a Japanese sauna and a green juice from local vegan café Wild & the Moon.
Sweet Treat
BREIZH CAFÉ // breizhcafe.com
Forget the Nutella, set aside the lemon and sugar. Breizh has become something of an institution and the savoury buckwheat pancakes are the reason why. Ingredients come straight from Brittany – try the smoked herring with Saint Malo potatoes washed down with a bowl of chilled cider.
CAFÉ INEKO // instagram.com/cafeineko
Head to this charming café on the rue des Gravilliers mid-morning for a slice of cake and an excellent coffee. By the time you have finished browsing the shelves of ceramics (all for sale) you will be ready for their wonderful lunch menu.
