QUIS MAR LLA VI
8e arrondissement
Set in one of the most elegant corners of the 8th arrondissement, Villa Marquis sits between the Seine, Avenue Montaigne and the calm streets around Alma-Marceau. The area has a refined character, with grand façades, small cafés and a quieter rhythm than you might not expect so close to the Eiffel Tower.
Inside, the hotel reflects this balance between history and contemporary design. Spaces are shaped by Art Deco influences, and the rooms and suites, designed by Álvaro Sans, recall the warmth of Parisian interiors through industrial touches and soft reddish tones. Some overlook the Eiffel Tower, a reminder of how central yet peaceful this neighbourhood is.
Villa Marquis is a comfortable base for exploring Paris on foot, surrounded by cultural institutions, couture houses and riverside walks. It offers a sense of place that feels both connected to the city and pleasantly removed from its busiest spots.
Just a few minutes walk from Maison Colbert is Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité, two small islands in the heart of the Seine that feel almost like a separate village within the city. It’s one of those corners of Paris that seems straight out of a storybook, with narrow streets and historic façades.
Breakfast at Le Boulanger de la Tour
A classic neighbourhood bakery by the river, known for its croissants and simple pastries made fresh every morning
On Île Saint-Louis you’ll find a mix of small shops, patisseries, wine and cheese stores, independent boutiques, and Berthillon’s legendary ice cream.
Librairie Ulysse, a tiny travel bookshop from the seventies, sits on one of the island’s main streets, filled with old maps, editions and curiosities.
In Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame still commands attention even as restoration continues.Its silhouette over the Seine remains one of the city’s most powerful landmarks. A short walk from Notre-Dame brings you to Place Dauphine, one of Paris’s most peaceful squares, with classic façades and a genuinely local atmosphere.
A walk along the Seine bookstalls is one of those very Paris moments. The green boxes by the river sell vintage prints, second-hand books and small unexpected finds. It feels relaxed and real, more like everyday Paris than something made for visitors.
Lunch at Le Petit Bal Perdu. A small bistro in the Latin Quarter, run by the same owners as Chez Janou. The place is simple and friendly. Don’t miss the mussels with pesto and the chocolate mousse.
Walk around the Latin Quarter , one of the oldest areas of Paris, long associated with universities and student life. Narrow streets, cafés, bookshops and historic buildings give it a lively yet local feel. Stop by the Panthéon , originally built as a church and later turned into a mausoleum. When open, the dome offers one of the best views in Paris. Coffee at
Saint Pearl Sorbonne . There are several Saint Pearl cafés around the city. They all feel warm and cosy, with dark vintage-style furniture that makes them very welcoming. Stop by Collège des Bernardins . A restored medieval building now used for cultural events. The main hall is simple and beautiful, with stone arches and soft light.
Very close to Maison Colbert is Espace Sportif Pontoise, a 1930s art-deco swimming pool that still keeps its original character. Locals use it daily, and the interior is worth seeing if you like historic public spaces.
Wine before dinner at Septime La Cave, a small and informal wine bar serving natural wines and a few light dishes. Easygoing and perfect for an early evening stop.
Dinner at A La Renaissance. A French bistro with straightforward food and a warm, familiar atmosphere. On some nights it gets quite lively, especially with locals from the neighbourhood.
Canal Saint-Martin. A pleasant walk along the water, with small bridges, trees and a relaxed atmosphere. This area feels younger and more local, with cafés, bookshops and people sitting by the canal. Le Marais
Le Marais is one of Paris’s most lively neighbourhoods. It’s very commercial, but also alternative at the same time. You’ll find everything here, from big international brands to small independent shops, along with many art galleries, cafés and restaurants. Below are a few stops that are especially worth it.
Officine Universelle Buly 1803
Paris
Dover Street Parfums Market
LE MARAIS
David Zwirner
Galerie Ruttkowski 68
Galerie Sentiment des Choses
A contemporary art gallery showing international artists, often with strong social and political themes.
The Paris space of the international gallery. It’s a very beautiful building, with a striking glass entrance that fills the space with natural light.
Another contemporary space, with a more playful and urban approach.
A small and quiet space that sits somewhere between an art gallery and an antique shop. You’ll find a mix of contemporary art, design pieces and carefully selected antiques.
Galerie
Galerie David Zwirner
Galerie Mor Charpentier
One of the things that makes Paris so special is its multicultural side. The city offers food from all over the world, and Chez Omar is a great example. Located next to the Marché des Enfants Rouges, it’s a relaxed place serving homemade Moroccan food. A local favourite for couscous, lively, generous and full of regulars.
Place des Vosges. One of the oldest and most elegant squares in Paris, originally built in the early 17th century under King Henri IV. It was the first planned square in the city and was designed as a model of symmetry, with red-brick façades, stone details and arcades all around. Over the years it
became a prestigious residential area, home to writers and artists, including Victor Hugo. Today it remains calm and balanced, a perfect place for a slow walk or a short break. Quai des Célestins. A quiet stretch along the river that’s less crowded than other parts of the Seine.
Dinner at L’Orillon , a relaxed neighborhood restaurant serving seasonal French dishes. Warm atmosphere and a good place to slow down at the end of the day.
Double breakfast at two favourite bakeries near Pigalle and Montmartre: Le Pain Retrouvé and Mamiche. Both are well known for their pastries. We had a croissant at the first and a pain au chocolat at the second.
Day Three
Montmartre on a sunny day feels like a privilege. From one of the highest points in the city, the views over Paris are impressive, and when the sun is out the atmosphere is especially lively and joyful. The best tip in Montmartre is to get lost in the back streets, where you
discover a much quieter and more local side of the neighbourhood. Merceries and ribbon shops. Montmartre has several long-standing haberdasheries where locals shop for textiles, ribbons and trims. A nice glimpse into an older craft tradition.
Montmartre / Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Lunch at Le Bistrot de Paris in Saint-Germaindes-Prés. We changed neighbourhood for the afternoon, but first lunch at this classic Parisian bistrot serving traditional dishes. Familiar, comforting and popular with locals. The onion soup with comté cheese is especially good, and the crème brûlée is a perfect dessert to finish.
Montmartre / Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Studio 7L. Karl Lagerfeld’s former bookshop, now a space focused on photography, art and design books. Les Deux Magots. An iconic café in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, known for its long
history as a meeting place for writers, artists and intellectuals. A calmer and more pleasant alternative to Café de Flore, which is often much more crowded.
Montmartre / Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Galerie Dina Vierny. A gallery with a long history, known for its connection to sculptor Aristide Maillol and for showing modern and contemporary artists
Montmartre / Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Galerie Dina Vierny
San Francisco Book Co. A second-hand English bookshop with a friendly, slightly chaotic atmosphere.
Luxembourg Gardens. One of the most beautiful public gardens in Paris, with tree-lined paths, statues and plenty of benches for a quiet break. The light, the atmosphere and especially the flowers make this park really special.
Montmartre / Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Giacometti Institute. A small museum in Montparnasse dedicated to the work of sculptor Alberto Giacometti, set in a beautiful early 20thcentury house that once belonged to designer Paul Follot. The interiors are impressive, with wooden floors, detailed woodwork, high ceilings
and a strong sense of history as soon as you enter. The space feels intimate and calm. One of the highlights is the recreation of Giacometti’s studio, which helps you understand how he lived and worked in Paris. It’s less about a large exhibition and more about getting close to his world.
Dinner at Ogata Paris, the project of Shinichiro Ogata, a Japanese designer and creative director best known as the founder of Higashiya, a project centred around tea, craftsmanship and everyday rituals. With Ogata Paris, he brought together everything he has been developing in Japan for years, and placed it in the heart of Paris.
From the moment you enter, the space feels very Japanese. The light is soft and subdued, the colour palette is restrained, and the materials are honest and tactile. Wood, stone and fabric are used with precision, and nothing feels decorative or unnecessary. The atmosphere is calm, but also very intentional.
Ogata Paris is a large space made up of different areas: a shop, a gallery, a tea space and a restaurant. Each one feels like its own small universe, yet everything is clearly connected. Every detail has been thought through with great care, from the architecture to the objects, creating a place that feels complete and very special.
We had the tasting menu, which goes far beyond a normal dinner. Each course is carefully composed, with close attention to ingredients, but also to the tableware, cutlery and glassware used throughout the meal. It’s an experience where food, space and objects all carry the same level of importance.
Musée de l’Orangerie. Home to Monet’s Water Lilies, displayed in two oval rooms designed specifically for these paintings, in close collaboration with Monet. The way the space is built around the works is beautiful, soft
natural light from above, no sharp corners, and the paintings wrapping around you. It is honestly one of the most special things you can see in Paris. The museum also includes early 20thcentury modern art.
Tuileries Garden. Just outside the museum, these gardens connect the Louvre with Place de la Concorde. A good place for a slow walk between visits, or simply to sit and take a break.
The Fondation Cartier recently opened its new home in the historic centre of Paris, at 2 Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre. The building is a Haussmann-era structure (1855) that was previously part of the old Louvre des Antiquaires and commercial spaces. The architect Jean Nouvel kept the classic exterior, but completely
reimagined the inside with a very unusual system: five large steel platforms that can move and adjust to different heights, creating many possible layouts. This changes how exhibitions can be built, with rooms that can expand, compress, open up vertically, and play with light in different ways.
Palais-Royal. A historic complex with gardens, arcades and small independent boutiques. Calm and elegant, especially in the morning, and a nice contrast to busier parts of the city.
Véro-Dodat. A 19th-century covered passage with antiques, fashion and design shops. Beautifully preserved and perfect for a quiet, unhurried walk.
Galerie
Bourse de Commerce. Home to the Pinault Collection of contemporary art. No matter how many photos or videos you’ve seen, the space still hits you when you enter for the first time. The scale, the rotunda, and the way the building has been restored make it feel very powerful.
E. Dehillerin. A legendary kitchenware shop founded in 1820. Chefs and home cooks come here for professional tools, copper pans and classic French utensils. The shop feels almost unchanged, which is part of the charm.
Trocadéro. One of the classic viewpoints over the Eiffel Tower. The open esplanade and the view across the Seine make it impressive at any time of day. It’s also a good place to see the tower from a bit of distance, with the city around it.
Lunch at Yasube . A small spot serving Japanese bentos. This part of Paris has a strong concentration of Asian restaurants, especially Japanese and Korean, which makes it an easy area for a quick, simple lunch
between museums. Librairie Voyageurs du Monde. A travel bookshop connected to the French travel company of the same name. A calm space to browse books, maps and travel ideas.
Villa La Roche. A private house designed by Le Corbusier in the 1920s, created for Raoul La Roche, a banker and art collector. Today it belongs to the Fondation Le Corbusier and you can visit it. It’s one
of the clearest places to understand his early ideas, the way you move through the house is planned like a sequence, with ramps, changes of height, and views that open little by little.
Le Corbusier studio apartment. The apartment and studio where Le Corbusier lived and worked for many years. Visiting the space feels surprisingly personal. Rather than focusing only on drawings or architectural theory, you experience how he thought about everyday life.
Walking through the apartment helps you understand his world in a very direct way, seeing how ideas translated into daily routines and domestic space. It is an intimate visit that offers insight into the human side of one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century.
Dinner at Le Mermoz. A contemporary neighbourhood restaurant with a seasonal menu and a relaxed atmosphere. A good place to end the day after a museum-heavy itinerary.
We started the day slowly at Villa Marquis, enjoying breakfast before heading out for a last walk around the neighbourhood. The hotel is located in the Triangle d’Or , close to Alma-Marceau and just a few minutes from Avenue Montaigne.
Alma-Marceau &
Triangle d’Or
It’s an elegant part of the 8th arrondissement, with beautiful façades, wide streets and a calm atmosphere, especially in the morning. Walking
around this area feels relaxed and very Parisian, with the Seine close by and many landmarks within easy reach.
Lunch at Chez Savy. A historic Parisian brasserie known for its straightforward classics and old-school atmosphere. A nice and easy farewell lunch before heading to the airport.
Day Five
Alma-Marceau & the Triangle d’Or
