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The Art de Vivre

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It’s possible that Paris invented the word luxury. There may be no more magnificent place in the world to indulge in the extravagances of fine living than the City of Lights. For centuries, the well-heeled and glamorous have enjoyed the splendors of the sumptuous city’s art de vivre. And you can be one of them. This guide takes you through one lavish day in Paris. You’ll browse the offerings along the world’s most fashionable street, dine in some of the world’s most renowned restaurants, and experience some of the world’s most famously gorgeous sights. You’ll walk in the footsteps of yesterday’s affluence, enjoy the indulgences of today, and, at the end of it all, lay your head where some of history’s most refined have. Now that’s living the high life.

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Author: Lauren Q

Day 1 - Paris

You’ll wake up in one of the Hotel Ritz’s Prestige Suites, each named after and decorated in the spirit of illustrious guests that have graced the hotel. Music lovers will waltz through the Chopin Suite, literary buffs swoon in the F. Scott Fitzgerald Suites, and fashion aficionados melt in the Coco Chanel Suite. Start your dignified day right by breakfasting under the grand trompe l’oeil ceiling in the hotel’s L’Espandon, a Michelin-one-star restaurant. Now you’ll be ready to promenade along some of the most regal and chic streets in the world. Gaze at the glittering jewels of Place Vendome, making a special stop into Cartier on Rue de la Paix, as you make your way to la plus belle avenue du monde, the most beautiful avenue in the world—the legendary Champs-Elysées. The tree-lined avenue is brimming with prestige, from the Presidential Palace to Guerlain Parfumerie to Louis Vuitton. Take Rue du Fambourg back, making sure to peek into Haute Couture heavy weights like Hermes and Lancome before pampering your taste buds at Dalloyau’s Tea Room. The family-owned Parisian gastronomy house has been gratifying the aristocratic likes of the Versailles court since 1682 with chocolates, ice-creams and confections.

If you’ve got some time, or are feeling especially spritely after your tea and treats, cruise into the Louvre. The mammoth museum was home to French royalty for six centuries, and the legacy of luxury permeates today. While you could spend a lifetime exploring the masterpieces, make a bee line to the Napolean’s Apartments, offering a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the emperor. There’s no time to linger, though, because you’ve got a date with one of the loveliest waterways in the world, the River Seine. Forget picnicking along the banks or sharing a boat with the other tourists; you’ll be enjoying champagne on the leather-covered banquette of the private salon on your personal river cruise with River Limousine. Laze past sights like the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d’Orsay during your hour-and-a-half cruise.

And of course, no lavish day in Paris would be complete without some first-class dining. French cuisine citadel Le Grande Vefour is soaked in history (and mouth-watering aromas). The restaurant has been catering to big wigs like Napoleon and Hugo since the reign of Louis XV, and the current chef carries on the tradition with dishes that have earned the restaurant three Michelin stars, the revered review’s top ranking. Beautiful décor and top-rate service match the fine cuisine.

All this refinement worn you out? Curl into the silk sheets of your Ritz room and dream of decadence in the lap of luxury. You deserve it.

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