Features > General > To See and Be Seen in Paris
“Paris's Chicest Spots for Nightlife, Evening Life, and Seeing and Being Seen”
Paris is an unashamedly, unrelentingly elegant city. The Parisian sense of style – subdued, understated tailored clothing, impeccably arranged scarves, just enough jewelry and makeup to catch the eye without ever appearing self-consciously styled – is a magical art that eludes even the most seasoned of travelers. But learning by watching is the best way to capture what Parisians call “le cool,” and these five spots are the best places in Paris to see exactly what embracing, and becoming, “le cool,” entails.
1) Brasserie Lipp
This Boulevard St. Germain standby was once a hangout for Hemmingway and his crowd. Today, however, despite slightly lackluster food, this zinc-lined Art Deco restaurant still welcomes Paris's heavy-hitters in all fields, from writers and journalists to politicians and businessmen to Carla Bruni herself. The Versailles-intricacies of this place's social circle are evident in the behavior of the maitre-d. Look sharp, book ahead, or simply be very famous, and you'll sit downstairs with the “in-crowd,” where you can turn heads or simple people-watch. Fall short, though, and you'll be exiled to the upstairs room – or, as the locals call it, “Siberia.”
2) Rue des Archives/Rue Vielle de Temple
For a younger, more exuberant, and hipper sort of cool – for up-and-comers rather than well-established players on the scene – the Marais is the place to be. If you're young, beautiful, well-heeled and better-dressed, head down at dusk to one of these two streets, packed with bars catering to beautiful people gay and straight alike. Rue des Archives's Le Troisieme Chinon is a particularly good hangout, but really, they all meld together with their wealth of sidewalk seating, and you're likely to hit more than a couple in a night anyhow.
3) Les Editeurs
Right off Place Odeon, Les Editeurs is still the classic place to be for writers and the eponymous editors, and anyone aspiring to be one or the other. The interior may be filed with books, but come lunchtime the place is also filled with books' writers, more likely power-lunching with their latest rep than scribbling the great French novel on a piece of napkin-paper.
4) La Closerie de Lilas
This place once called Gertrude Stein, Hemmingway, and Trotsky regulars, but that certainly doesn't make it ancient. This standby on Boulevard de Montparnasse is the home away from home of Paris's publishing world, and the “Lilas Prize,” one of the most prestigious literary awards in France, is still awarded here. The food here is also spectacular, especially the steak tartare.
5) Cafe Marley
This cafe may be located in the Louvre, but given its clientele of models, actresses, and the powerful men on whose arms they arrive, people-watching proves nearly as tempting as art-gazing at this Asian-themed cafe-bar. The creme de la creme of Paris society come to see and be seen; dress sharply and join the part.
By Tara Isabella Burton
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