With so much to offer visitors, it’s little wonder that Paris is regularly voted the world’s most popular tourism destination – and few places can match the City of Light in terms of history, good looks or, indeed, out and out romance. But while no visit is complete without taking in at least one of its many big-ticket attractions – be it the Eiffel tower, the Louvre or the Arc de Triumph – the French capital is also full of surprises. Indeed, after the events of the past two years, which saw an eerie quiet descend on Paris, you could say that the joie de vivre is back, as a glut of new openings breath fresh life into again-buzzing boulevards. But where to head on your next trip? Our run-down of the best new openings in Paris for 2022 should do the trick.
1. Stay in the city’s best new hotel
It’s been described as the most exciting Paris hotel opening for years, and for once the hyperbole is justified. Bvlgari Hôtel Paris is a lavish new 76-room property that’s everything you need from a city hotel. Absurdly spacious – the bedrooms start at 42sqm, which is more than double the city average – it’s also gloriously opulent. This is Bulgari after all, so no expense has been spared in the décor which combines marble and granite with silk wallcoverings and dark varnished woodwork to dramatic effect, creating a blissful cocoon from the outside world. Then there’s the prime Avenue George V location, mere minutes away city’s finest boutiques and just two streets down from the Champs-Élysées. And did we mention the world-class spa?
2. Pick up some on-trend threads
Having achieved cult status in the US, where the likes of Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid are all fans of its jeans, the much-vaunted clothier Re/Done recently opened its first international outpost in the Paris, on 22 Rue de Grenelle. The French capital is not short of smart boutiques – in fact, it’s arguably the world’s foremost retail hotspot – but this new opening in Paris brings something quite unique to the city with its focus on vintage and sustainable apparel – perfect for any visitor looking to come home with a unique, and fashion-forward reminder of their stay.
3. Take a two-wheeled tour
As part of her mission to transform Paris into the world’s greenest metropolis, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has implemented plans to introduce 180km of new bike lanes to the city’s cycling network between now and 2026, with a goal to make the French capital ‘100% cyclable’. Already in play are routes along the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées and Rue de Rivoli, and they provide a fantastic opportunity to see the City of Light from another perspective.
4. Embark on a culinary adventure through modern French cuisine
Tom Meyer is one of Paris’s rising culinary stars – and with good reason. Having honed his craft under the watchful eye of France’s first lady of fine dining Anne-Sophie Pic, he opened Restaurant Granite, his first restaurant, late last year and within months it had won a Michelin star for its modern celebration of French cuisine. Modern is very much the watch word, as evidenced by Scandi décor, the laid-back atmosphere and the commitment to zero waste and zero plastic… It’s also – by Parisian standards – extremely good value, so we’d recommend getting in there while it remains thus.
5. Enjoy a whole night out in one place
You won’t be surprised to hear that Paris already has its fair share of arthouse cinemas – particularly on the bohemian Left Bank, which remains a locus for the city’s culturati – but Silencio des Prés offers an exciting spin on the formula. Occupying the same Saint-Germain site as a famed movie theatre that was once frequented by the likes of Jean-Paul Belmondo and François Truffaut, this new, multi-purpose space is pitching itself as a one-stop for all your night-time needs. Arrive for dinner in the buzzy art-deco dining room, where chef Guillaume Sanchez has curated a menu of gussied-up Parisian brasserie classics, then head downstairs to the basement cocktail bar for a film, dj-set or perhaps even a jazz session.
6. Embrace your inner hipster
Paris has fully embraced the natural wine trend that has become de rigueur in hipster enclaves the world over, with Early June being one of the city’s pioneers. Alongside one of the city’s finest selections of low and no intervention wines, craft beers and ciders, all curated by owners Camille Machet and Victor Vautier, this Canal St Martin hotspot also hosts popups by travelling chefs from around the world. Arrive for the wine and stay for the small plates as you watch Paris’s trendiest neighbourhood go about its business outside.
To learn more about Singapore Airlines flights to Paris, visit singaporeair.com. If you are looking at how to offset your carbon emissions on your future flights, visit the following websites to learn more:
carbonoffset.singaporeair.com.sg or carbonoffset.flyscoot.com
