The mythical Rue de la Paix boutique is newly renovated with ubiquitous Baccarat chandeliers and large dance studio mirrors. Jeté your way to classic demure style. Brigitte Bardot skipped through Paris in her ballet pumps, and Gainsbourg’s white Repetto lace-ups were as much part of his identity as cigarettes and St Germain. Created in 1947 by Rose Repetto for her dancer son, the soft ballet shoes are perfectly Parisian and available in a rainbow of colours. Even Comme des Garçons have created a model. The dance apparel and shoes are sweetly arranged in circles and the airy, luxe-bohemian vibe will bring out the prima ballerina in even the most leaden-legged of browsers.

'Crunchy coated: pecan nuts, soja sauce, herbs... and cod, 19€.'
The menu’s haiku poetry style gives a good indication of what’s to come at this trendy eatery. New-generation chef Gilles Choukroun’s culinary trademark is one of blending, marrying and uniting flavours, often Asian tastes with French ones, in ways quite unlike anywhere else on Paris’ food circuit. The food here is fun (expect dishes such as foie-gras crème brûlée), but accomplished . The oval dining room, clad in warm reds, browns and creams, provides a cosy backdrop for Gilles’ iconoclastic dishes, and Frédéric the friendly headwaiter ensures that the meal runs as smoothly as the vin.

This classic French gem will transport you back to the days when Napoleon III’s wife Eugénie would come and buy her jewels here in one of the back rooms. The hotel is big, the entrance shiny and the rooms all very spacious, with period furniture and details to make you feel quite regal. Some rooms offer views over the gob-smacking Place Vendôme, and all have their own distinct charm. If you can ignore the questionable lobby wall design and the odd faded corner, it’s perfect for those keen to stay in the ritzy party of Paris but not pay a Ritz price.