Alain Ducasse will soon reveal two new restaurants. The newly restored classic seafood restaurant Rech in Paris and the as yet unnamed 70 cover restaurant at London’s 5 star Dorchester Hotel.
One forgiveable sin when where you’re in France is the inevitable mouth watering visit to the local patisserie. Here are six of the best patisseries in Paris.
Fauchon: Expensive but worth every penny. Fauchon’s first store opened its doors in 1886 - some of the same delicacies you’ll still find there today.
Lenôtre: The pastries are perfect, the cakes immaculate and the breads, fresh and irresistible. Admittedly, it’s heavy but so what?
Pierre Hermé: Vogue called him “the Picasso of Pastry”. Pierre Hermé began his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice to Gaston Lenôtre. Has the student surpassed the master? You be the judge.
La Maison du Chocolat: One of the premier Paris chocolatiers thanks to its combination of luxe ingredients and decadent chocolate, Maison du Chocolat speciality is the huge chocolate macaron.
La Durée: Ladurée is a luxury cakes and pastries brand based in Paris, France. It is known as the inventor of the double-decker macaron (sticking two macaron shells together with a creamy ganache as filling), fifteen thousand of which are sold every day. If you can’t make it to Paris this weekend visit the newly opened branch in Harrods
Dalloyau: Everything in Dalloyau is luxury personified. The pastries are works of art, each tasting even better than it looks. Forget the calories!
When Eurostar begins regular daily service between St. Pancras Station and Paris on November 14, it’s forecasting to make the trip in less than two hours and 15 minutes - London to Brussels will only take one hour 51 minutes. Why would you fly? Factoring in the trip to and from the airports means that flying takes longer, it’s less dignified and far more stressful. And when you consider the environmental benefits Eurostar’s a no-brainer.
If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in Paris then try this new boutique hotel in Montmartre. Difficult to find - but worth the effort- the Hotel Particulier Montmartre is surrounded by leafy landscaping and secluded gardens. Book early - it has only five guest rooms. Inside you’ll find modern design with incredible Paris views available from the top-floor miniloft.