Things to do in the Place de la Concorde district

Grill dishes take pride of place at this restaurant near the Champs-Elysées gardens. Try the food prepared by Michelin-starred chef Paul Pairet a famous member of the judging panel in the French TV show Top Chef, whose culinary panache can be appreciated at the Hotel de Crillon. Nonos is a restaurant that leaves the beaten track of gourmet cuisine to attract a new generation of fine diners with a festival of flavours that mixes French traditions and Asian inspirations. Prolong the pleasure by popping into Paul Pairet’s friendly canteen and grocery shop where you’ll find the same modern delights and inventive touch.

After four years of renovation work, the historic Hôtel de la Marine has been returned to its former splendour. Between Place de la Concorde and the Jardin des Tuileries, this grand monument built by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, architect to the king, was originally used as a royal furniture storage unit. It is now a museum that offers a fabulous immersive tour into the history of France from the end of the monarchy to the present day, as you visit the different living quarters. You’ll also see the Al Thani private collection, one of the biggest in the world, which retraces more than 5,000 years of history.

Within the Hôtel de la Marine museum, the sophisticatedMimosa restaurant invites you to take an elegant break. The food prepared by Jean-François Piège is inspired by the tasty, sun-drenched dishes of the French Riviera. Take a seat amid the blue, green and terracotta decor of the immense dining room and prepare to be plunged into the gastronomy of the South… Including the house speciality, eggs mimosa.

The Hôtel de la Marine now has another gourmet occupant, the Café Lapérouse. Paying a kind of tribute to the travellers and explorers of yesteryear, this superb restaurant features 2 dining areas: Navigateurs and Orient. The menu is an exquisite concentration of delights to be savoured from morning to evening, your chance to enjoy a real culinary voyage. To feast your eyes as well as your tastebuds, enjoy your breakfast on a terrace with a view of the **Obelisk on Place de la Concorde **. For even more luxury in an exotic atmosphere, the cocktail bar decorated with shells will transport you hundreds of miles from Paris.

Right next to Place de la Concorde and the River Seine, the Tuileries Garden offers some of the best picture-postcard views you’ll find in Paris. The delightful sights include architectural features by Le Nôtre and legendary statues by Rodin and Giacometti that appear to compete for attention. To really soak up the magic of this park, walk down the main path to the large circular pond to admire the Place de la Concorde on one side, and the Louvre pyramid on the other. But at this square there’s nothing to stop you relaxing in one of the metal chairs, to read a good book or watch the ducks racing against the model electric boats.

On the edge of the Tuileries Garden, just a stone’s throw from Place de la Concorde, stands one of the greatest temples to photography, the Jeu de Paume. As the backdrop to the famous Tennis Court Oath, this building has traversed the great eras of our history, and saved the impressionists’ paintings from the destruction of the Second World War. So it was quite a surprise when, in 2004, it was transformed into a modern art venue. Prepare for a visually dazzling tour that will stir some emotion.

Face au Jeu de Paume, de l’autre côté du jardin des Tuileries, le musée de l’Orangerie donne une autre perspective sur le monde de l’art, et l’une des plus émouvantes. Construit en 1852 pour abriter l’hiver les fragiles orangers du jardin, le site est devenu le sanctuaire d’une des plus grandes œuvres au monde : les Nymphéas. Ici, les 8 célèbres toiles de Monet sont magnifiées dans une grande salle aux murs voûtés. Épousant harmonieusement les parois de la salle circulaire, ces œuvres offrent sur 90 mètres un émerveillement infini des sens.

The 8th arrondissement has no shortage of places to stroll. Just a short walk from Concorde, you’ll find Place de la Madeleine, a shining example of Parisian elegance in all its splendour. To soak up the atmosphere, visit the galerie de la Madeleine. This superb covered passage of 53 metres is a jewel of architecture, with its marble flooring, glass roof and luxury boutiques. A gem in the heart of the city of Paris.

Art isn’t just about museums and exhibitions. To prove it, the workshops and boutiques of the chocolate artist Patrick Roger invite you to try an experience that goes way beyond the purchase of a sweet treat… He turns chocolate into sculptures, objects of contemporary art that offer you the ultimate pleasure of feasting your eyes, then your tastebuds.

At no. 31 on Rue Cambon, a page in the history of fashion was written. In 1910, a young fashion designer and milliner set up her first salon, funded by her lover. The modestly named ‘Chanel Modes’ is where the legendary Coco Chanel began. As a symbol of French luxury, the boutique has retained all its former beauty and become a place of pilgrimage for any self-respecting fashionista.