Chez Georges
This old-fashioned restaurant—all lined-up tables, tiled floors, mirrored walls, and clattering cutlery—is so anti-design that it’s a design classic. When all you want is something bourgeois like a perfect turbot and a bowl of mustardy salade verte served by bossy women, this hits the spot.
1, Rue du Mail, 2nd Arr. 331/42-60-07-11

Restaurant Itineraires
Though open only since April, young Lyonnais chef Silvain Sendra’s Saint-Germain boîte is a top table to score. Inventive contemporary cooking—involving, say, borage flowers, pickled lemon, dried tuna, though not in the same dish—ordered from chalkboard menus at $53 for three courses explains the popularity.
5, Rue de Pontoise, 5th arr. 331/46-33-60-11

Pierre Herme
To visit the second Paris boutique of the sweetmeat maestro is to experience gourmandises as jewelry, arranged in artfully lit orange-fronted glass cases. His macaroons beat Ladurée’s, especially the seasonal modern flavors: Truffle should be debuting around now. 185, Rue de Vaugirard, 15th arr. 331/47-83-89-96

Play:

Le 66
Heralding—they hope— a mini-renaissance for the tourist trap street, this (nearly) year-old bilevel store stocks over 100 designers: young men’s and women’s indy French labels (Iro) and imports plus housewares, tchotchkes, and books.
66 Champs Elysees, 8th arr. 331/53-53-33-80

Bacqueville
The maker of military and honorary decorations (the Légion d’Honneur!) is one of the original tenants of the designifying Palais Royal—since 1790. There’s a tiny but good range of funky jewelry by Paris artisans.
6–8 Galerie Montpensier, Jardin du Palais Royal, 1st arr. 331/42-96-26-90

Black Block
Since it’s under the aegis of tastemaking graffiti artist and club owner André, this store is faaabulous. Deli-style refrigerators display desirable design from Maharishi’s Johnny Rotten doll to Comme des Garçons scents, then there are rare Japanese sneakers, a rack of funky ’70s vintage frocks, plus limited editions worthy of the museum upstairs.
Palais de Tokyo, 13, av e. du President Wilson, 16th arr. 331/47-23-37-04

C42
You may not be buying cars, but do drop in to architect Manuelle Gautrand’s year-old chevron-fronted Citroën palace: a glass tower for France’s iconic marque.
42, Champs Elysees, 8th Arr. 331/43-59-62-20

Didier Ludot
In the galeries of the Palais Royal are a clutch of fashion-forward stores, including two super-high-end vintage meccas. To enter Ludot you’d better be in the market for a Poiret original or an haute couture Dior gown, at several thousand dollars.
20–24, Galerie de Montpensier, Palais Royal, 1st arr. 331/42-96-06-56

Dognin
In his new store in the emerging Goutte d’Or neighborhood, Luc Dognin hand-makes exquisite leather goods in fascinating colors. The patented (literally) curve-bottomed purses (Barneys and Bergdorf carry a few) outdo any status “it bag.” Prices start around $780.
4, Rue des Gardes, 18th arr. 331/44-92-32-16

Gabrielle Geppert
Consuela Castiglioni (Marni) is one style royal who gets inspiration here. Geppert has the world’s best eye for vintage; her pieces look more modern than most runways. But don’t expect service—if you’re not fashion tribe, she just about hisses.
31–34 Galerie de Montpensier, Palais Royal, 1st arr. 331/42-61-53-52

Hermes
Though Hermèses are mushrooming, there’s nothing like the flagship and birthplace—tastefully expanded a year ago—for selection, service, and atmosphere.
24, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, 8th arr. 331/40-17-47-17

La Petite Robe Noire
For those with a hankering for original Balenciaga, but shopping with dollars, there’s Didier Ludot’s own line of vintage-inspired cocktail frocks. During fashion week, peer in to see who’s up and coming— he showcases a young designer in his windows.
125, Galerie de Valois , Palais Royal, 1st arr. 331/40-15-01-04

See:

Le 104
With an opening party on October 11, the breathlessly anticipated “Cent Quatre” bursts onto the scene, spreading SoMo (south of Montmartre) hipness east to the border of the 19th. This huge new arts center has 200 resident artists (film, design, photography, video, performance), plus a kids’ area, shops, restaurants, and more.
104, Rue d’Aubervilliers, 19th arr. 331/40-05-51-71
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