Bars

Bar 228 at Hotel Le Meurice. Rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris;

Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the city’s most elegant cocktail bars is situated within one of its most luxurious hotels:

the 5-star Hotel Le Meurice.

Bar 228 is at once cozy and sumptuous, with deep leather armchairs, elaborate Lavalley frescoes and soft lamplights.

The original bar, opened in 1905, has recently been re-imagined by the acclaimed Philippe Starck,

who has brought touches of the contemporary to the traditional interiors.

The ambience here is close to one found in a private club.

Bar Hemingway at the Ritz. 15 Place Vendôme, 75001 Paris;

This legendary watering hole is named, of course, after American novelist Ernest Hemingway,

who frequented it along with his friend and fellow writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Rumour even has it that Hemingway himself forced the German Gestapo out of the Ritz at the end of World War II,

getting into a characteristic brawl after drinking an inhuman number of martinis.

Le Bar at the Plaza Athenée. Hôtel Plaza Athénée, 25 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris;

Anyone with knowledge of the Parisian luxury scene will already be familiar with:

Avenue Montaigne’s ultra-chic Plaza Athenée hotel, another hub for the well-heeled and famous in the capital.

The recently renovated bar at the palace hotel naturally makes our list of exclusive spots for a cocktail in the French capital:

walls panelled with warm wood juxtapose with boldly contemporary furnishings and

a futuristic bar fashioned from clear resin. A DJ plays live music here several times a week,

but not to worry it won’t drown out your conversation. Bespoke cocktails in small medium or large sizes,

served in chic murano glasses, topped with eye-catching decorations.

Library Bar, St James Paris. 5 Place du Chancelier Adenauer, 75116 Paris;

Book lovers will especially appreciate this opulent yet warm bar,

situated at the luxury hotel of the same name and boasting some 12,000 volumes on its shelves.

Enjoy the atmosphere of quiet, confidentiality and scholarly elegance as you sip cocktails prepared by the lauded head barman,

Gaël Brissiaud. Well known for his innovative use of botanicals,

some of his more creative cocktails include the signature Saint James Julep, which mixes Hendrick’s gin with

Benedictine, Madagascar vanilla liqueur, lemon, fresh mint and griotte jam

(from a small European red fruit with a particular tartness). Another favorite is the Southern Bud,

with: Botanist gin, bitter lavender, “peres Chartreux elixir”, maple syrup.

La Reserve Paris: Le Bar. 42 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris;

This bar near the Avenue des Champs-Elysées is prized among wealthy Parisians and travelers, before or after-dinner drinks.

Well-known for its bespoke cocktails– the barmen will mix anything worthy of your imagination,

inspired from a menu of key ingredients– this is an ideal place to sit back and bask in luxurious surroundings.

Housed in La Reserve Hotel, which affords gorgeous views of the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais

and also boasts a spa with indoor pool, the bar features deep red velvet seating, candelabras and opulent mirrors,

creating a sense of old-world romance.

VISION