PICKS OF THE MONTH - PARIS

Cafe: Le Fumoir

6 rue de l'Amiral de Coligny, 75001, www.lefumoir.com
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Picture a Frenchman and he will probably be wearing a beret and loafers, with a baguette tucked under his arm, a bottle of red wine in his left hand and a cigarette in the right. France may have recently banned smoking in restaurants and cafes, but the government will not be able to remove smoking from French culture. My favourite smoky cafe in Paris is none other than Le Fumoir, just two minutes from the Louvre on the Right Bank. Filled with cosy leather chairs, a chic atmosphere and a library of books to entertain coffee drinkers, this place has that unexplainable Parisian “je ne sais quoi.” It is a perfect place to meet with a friend on a cold, winter’s afternoon and chat for hours over a hot Irish coffee and some pastry.


Nightlife: Drinks at the Hotel Lutetia Bar

45 blvd Raspail, 75006, www.lutetia-paris.com
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One of my most Parisian experiences occurred on a cold autumn evening when I met a friend for drinks at the bar lounge of the lovely Hotel Lutetia on the left bank. Probably the largest and fanciest hotel on this side of the Seine, the Lutetia is a posh hotel built in the beautiful Haussmann style that has come to represent the classic style of Parisian architecture generally shown in Hollywood movies and American guidebooks. The lounge is spacious, comfortable, chic and ornately decorated, complete with a musician playing jazz on a grand piano.
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On this first visit of mine to the lounge, the room was filled with chic Parisians of all sorts: trendy college girls, a young family, couples, business acquaintances, a young man with his grandmother and, the most charming of all - two old gentlemen chatting on a sofa, dressed in their best suits, smoking cigars and drinking aperitifs, with two greyhounds laying peacefully at their feet. The picture could not have been more perfect. And as my Parisian friend pointed out, the whole image was just so very Saint Germain des Pres. So on a cool or rainy evening in the city of lights, what better way is there to spend it than indoors in heavenly surrounding, sipping a casual cocktail with family, a close friend or a good book. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the moment.


Shop: Chantal Thomas

211 rue Saint Honore, 75001, also sold at several other boutiques, www.chantalthomass.fr

Over the centuries, sometime between Diane de Poitiers, the Moulin Rouge and Dita von Tesse, the word lingerie has become synonymous with France. Every country has its talents, and for the French, these include dissecting the delicate flavours of red wine, making love after lunch and designing seductive undergarments. Think Eres, Fifi Chacnil, Dior, Lejaby, and - rumoured to be the inventor of the bra - Cadolle. For that classic boudoir look with a hint of old-world burlesque, Chantal Thomas is the very best. Even the brand’s flagship store on the fashionable rue Saint Honore in Paris is designed to look like a burlesque dressingroom. Whether you want to wear cute panties for your own benefit or to surprise your oh-so-lucky lover, undergarments from Chantal Thomas will leave you feeling confident, empowered and beautiful. All that’s left to do is to whisper a few sweet French nothings into your lover’s ears: Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?