PARIS
A refined guide to Paris: explore its art, cafés, and elegance, from the Left Bank to Montmartre.
Much more than just the capital of France, Paris is the distilled essence of the country’s art, elegance, and ambition. For centuries, it has been the stage upon which France has projected its greatest cultural achievements.
No other city in the nation gathers so much of what makes France exceptional in one place. If you're looking for the country’s finest art, most refined cuisine, and deepest intellectual legacy:
Paris is where they converge.
It’s no surprise that Paris remains at the heart of luxury travel in France. From the grand to the quotidian, history and heritage come to life here in truly unforgettable ways.
And there’s no better way to get experience the best of it and get your finger on the pulse than through private tours, behind-the-scenes access, or personal encounters with passionate locals in this city that offers travelers a kind of cultural intimacy few destinations can match.
Here's what we think should form the core of your experience:
History & Art
To understand Paris is to understand modern culture. The city was first settled by the Parisii tribe in the 3rd century B.C., but the Paris we move through today was shaped largely during the 19th century, a period of transformation driven by Napoleon’s ambitions, Baron Haussmann’s vision, and an empire flush with wealth and creativity.
This legacy lives on in its museums. The Louvre and Musée d’Orsay are institutions of cultural memory, their collections defining how we see beauty, power, and innovation.
Paris art and culture also stretch far beyond the grand halls: they are in the bookshops of Saint-Germain, the sculptures in the Luxembourg Garden, the cinemas and galleries tucked into every arrondissement.
You'll find traces of famous Parisians past and present, overflowing with history and the living future of their creative output at every turn, from the Île de la Cité in the 1st & 4th, all the way up to the heights of Montmartre in the 18th.
A well-planned private tour can open up not just the sites, but the stories behind them.
Cuisine
No trip to Paris is complete without understanding the city’s devotion to gastronomy.
France’s extraordinary regional produce is the result of its extraordinary terroir, with its diverse climates, landscapes, and traditions. All of these shape the country’s unrivaled natural larder and inform its kitchens.
From the salt marshes and oysters of Brittany to the vineyards of Burgundy, the truffles of Périgord, and the pastures of the Auvergne, France produces a dizzying variety of ingredients. All of them make their way to the capital.
The result is a city that does not simply eat well, but that treats cooking as an art form and dining as a philosophy.
Here, cuisine is elevated to a kind of secular religion, with its own rituals, priests, and sacred texts.
From fine dining restaurants to simple neighborhood bistros, every meal has the potential to be memorable. Expect reverence for ingredients, pride in preparation, and often a good bit of quiet ceremony.
If you're looking to navigate the full spectrum of this experience, from crêperies to three-star temples, we recommend reading our dedicated Guide to Paris Dining.
Lifestyle & Fashion
Paris fashion and lifestyle have captivated the world for centuries. This is the city that made haute couture a cultural force and casual elegance a daily practice.
But what makes the Parisian image endure isn't only the tailoring or the outfits, it’s the attitude.
Here you find an evocative mix of effortless chic, occasionally somewhat too many cigarettes, and the desire to sit in the sun with a book and a glass of wine in hand, unhurried and unbothered.
It’s also important to understand the difference between, for example, London dress codes, and Parisian chic—London is all about understanding set and setting and knowing the rules; Paris is all about understanding the projection of an attitude.
The city’s boutiques are not just places to shop, but spaces that reflect the Parisian mindset: aesthetic, intentional, and highly recognisable.
And even if few locals today live the fantasy of the flâneur in a glamorous Left Bank apartment, the city still radiates with that old-world romance and creative energy.
Fashion is only part of it. Design, lifestyle, and a culture of taste shape the atmosphere at every turn.