n a jittery world with an uncertain economy, Paris remains one of the most visited cities on the planet. Visitors come to revisit the city's glorious past, as reflected in its art and architecture, but they are also intrigued by Paris's cutting edge in cuisine, style, and fashion. Here are some of the latest developments in an ever-changing City of Light:
Where To Stay
Near the Luxembourg Gardens, Hotel Luxembourg Parc, 42 rue de Vaugirard, 6e (tel. 01/53-10-36-50; www.luxembourg-paris-hotel.com), has been hailed as a small scale version of the supremely deluxe Hotel de Crillon. One of the most charming hotels on the Left Bank, the inn has been installed in a beautifully restored 17th-century palace. Bedrooms are decorated in one of the Louis periods or in the style of the Napoléon III era.
Hidden away in the Third Arrondissement, Hotel Bellevue 8 due Chariot d'Or, 39 rue de Turbigo (tel. 01/48-87-45-60), a restored hotel, is a real bargain for Paris. Its good Metro links hook up quickly and conveniently to Paris's major sightseeing attractions. The Latin Quarter, the district of the Sorbonne, has a restored and most inviting hotel in La Tour Notre Dame, 20 rue du Sommerard, 5e (tel. 01/43-54-47-60; www.hotels-exclusive.com). Rising seven floors, over a 17th-century vaulted cellar, you'll find Rive Gauche charm and comfort here, with romantic touches such as Empire-era furnishings.
Where To Dine
One the most famous of French bistros, Aux Lyonnais, 32 rue St-Marc, 2e (tel. 01/42-96-65-04), has come under the culinary baton of the fabled master chef Alain Ducasse. His take on the celebrated Lyonnaise cuisine is the best in the city. He has installed a talented young chef, Christophe Saintagne, who offers elegant bistro fare full of flavor.
Hailed as the greatest French chef of the 1990s in Paris, Joël Robuchon has come out of retirement to launch L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, in the Hotel Pont Royal, 5-7 rue de Montalembert, 7e (tel. 01-42-22-56-56). This is a much simpler brasserie than his elegant citadel of yesteryear. Nonetheless, it's a chic gastronomic shrine with masterfully prepared fare.
Master chef Alain Ducasse continues to expand his food empire with the opening of BE, 73 blvd. de Courcelles, 8e (tel. 01/46-22-20-20), which is short for Boulangerie Epicerie, a sort of upmarket bakery and deli, one of the finest in Paris. It's an ideal place to drop into for the makings of le grand picnic. To show the care that goes into running this place, bread is baked at least eight times a day.
In the 18th-century townhouse of the Marquis de Lafayette, 1728, 8 rue d'Anjou, 8e (tel. 01/40-17-04-77), boasts fusion cuisine from both Japan and France. This is a chic rendezvous, beautifully decorated and serving delightful market-fresh offerings.
Shopping
Called "the world's smallest department store," Talmaris, 61 av. Mozart, 16e (tel. 01/42-88-20-20), is the boutique showcase of Alain-Paul Ruzé, who spends months every year traveling the world and looking for "curiosities."
After Dark
Currently, one of the hottest and hippest bars on the Left Bank, lying off the fabled rue St-André-des-Arts, is the aptly named Bob Cool, 15 rue des Grands Augustins, 6e (tel. 01/46-33-33-77). Writers and artists, along with patrons in a wide age range, are attracted to this place, which is known for the variety of its recorded music.
Side Trips From Paris
As more and more art lovers flock to the little town of Giverny to see the water lilies of Monet, good restaurants continue to open to accommodate them. A recent discovery, Restaurant Les Fleurs, 71 rue Sadie-Carnot, Vernon (tel. 02/32-51-16-80), is a delight, lying 3 miles (4.8km) southwest of Monet's museum. This is the creation of a disciple of the fabled chef Alain Ducasse. The chef has forged his own statement with a series of carefully prepared French dishes, both classic and innovative.