Indholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2024 i Town & Country

It’s not a comprehensive guide, but it’s highly opinionated. What else would you expect? The Peninsula Paris 19 Avenue Kléber “Anywhere in the world where there’s a Peninsula, I’m there, because it reminds me of my childhood in Asia. I can be assured that the room will be exquisitely appointed, with the Peninsula-only bells and whistles, and the breakfast buffet will be incredible.” —Kevin Kwan, author PENINSULA.COM Hôtel Plaza Athénée 25 Avenue Montaigne “Maybe it’s because a beau took me there in my twenties and told them it was our honeymoon and all was over-the-top indulgence, but even after marrying my Paul, I still have the same delicious feelings.” —Bridget Gless Keller, philanthropist DORCHESTERCOLLECTION.COM La Réserve Paris 42 Avenue Gabriel “It’s the perfect combination of luxe and intime. I sent…

You’re at dinner when the email arrives from Hermès. You got a bag appointment for the next morning at the Hermès store on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. You won the lottery—literally. Hermès requires anyone who wants a bag to apply for an appointment the next day. If you get a spot, you can get a bag. If you know you’re about to get something as hallowed as a Birkin for the relative steal of the list price, how do you spend the rest of the day celebrating? 8:00 a.m. Start the day at Les Deux Magots, the Left Bank café that was a favorite of Jane Birkin, just to pay homage. Sit outside, have a fresh-pressed jus d’orange and a croissant with a lot of jam, and strategize about your preferred…

“Mankind can still continue to live without the Englishman, can continue without the German, can continue all too well without the Russian,” Dostoevsky wrote in Demons. “Mankind can continue without science, can continue without bread—it is only without beauty that we cannot continue, for there will be nothing at all to do in the world!” It’s worth noting that Dosto-evsky didn’t say mankind could continue without the French. Maybe that’s because there’s so much beauty to behold in Paris—much of it, to the surprise of some, outside the confines of museums. Ballet is the perfect thing for a visitor who doesn’t speak a country’s language. The Opéra National de Paris and its ballet perform at the Palais Garnier and at the Opéra Bastille, and I’ve spent many nights—even with my…

France has a long history on horseback, and nearly 2 million French citizens ride “regularly or occasionally,” according to the French Equestrian Federation. The Loire Valley city of Saumur—a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Paris—is the home of the Cadre Noir of Saumur, the famed instructors from the Ecole Nationale d’Equitation (the French military riding academy), and the heart of the country’s equestrian obsession. But Paris is Paris. Hermès began making saddles here in 1910 and still makes them largely the same way: a single craftsman spending around 30 hours on each one. (They are then specially configured for rider and horse, a process the house says makes them“double bespoke.”) Hermès has kept detailed records of every single saddle, creating the kind of boldfaced name–drenched little black book few brands possess. And…

FULL-BODY PHOTO-BIOMODULATION Red or near-infrared light triggers cells’ mitochondria to improve such areas as cognition and collagen production. EMS TRAINING Electrical stimulation makes muscles contract, enabling a two-hour workout in 20 minutes. In theory. PEMF THERAPY Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields therapy helps recharge cells. CAROL BIKE AI-personalized, it burns more calories in a 15-minute ride than a 30-minute run. HYBERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY A chamber with pressure up to three times the norm floods the bloodstream with extra oxygen to promote cell repair. VIBROACOUSTIC CHAIR This next-level lounger uses sound resonances to induce a deep meditative state. CRYOTHERAPY Cold exposure in nitrogen-cooled chambers that can drop to–230°F. Three minutes can boost metabolism and mood. COMPRESSION BOOTS Miniature sleeping bags give your limbs an air-powered massage and increase circulation after a tough workout or flight.…

The height of shipboard indulgence is no longer a windowless massage room below deck. Any self-respecting spa at sea now addresses the full gamut of wellness, fitness, and beauty needs: HIIT classes and Pelotons, snow caves and IV lounges, Tibetan singing bowls and quartz treatment beds. And, of course, all manner of fillers, injectables, skin tighteners, and collagen boosters. (As the old adage has it, travel can indeed be transformative.) But don’t choose a ship purely for its spa. The cruise lines’ spas do differ from one another—but mostly because each line’s architects design them. The latest Celebrity ships—Edge, Apex, Beyond, and Ascent—have beautiful spas designed by Kelly Hoppen; Crystal’s gorgeous Aurora spas are the work of Tillberg Design of Sweden. The Mareel spa on Cunard’s new Queen Anne is…

THE FABERGE EGG Want to see what the Romanovs saw? The latest iteration of these mini-masterpieces is now part of life onboard. As in, “Meet me by the Fabergé egg.” AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY You can walk into the general manager’s Deck 5 office at any time, to vent about anything, however small. “We always listen.” FREE DAILY LAUNDRY If you so desire, your laundered lingerie (or whatever) will be deposited daily in your suite, wrapped in tissue paper. 36 TYPES OF BREAD That’s the number served across the eight dining venues. Baking goes on 24/7. PLATES BY VERSACE Each restaurant has specially designed dinnerware. Versace’s is at Compass Rose, the main dining room. YOUR WISH IS ALWAYS SOMEONE’S COMMAND If, say, you fancy a particular restaurant dish but want to eat…

SciencesPo HALL OF FAME AND L’INFAMIE Hidden away on an unremarkable side street on the Left Bank in Paris is a university that fancies itself “the French Harvard.” One morning in March, the director of Sciences Po, Mathias Vicherat, who had taken offce promising to combat sexual violence, resigned months after he and his ex-girlfriend went to the police accusing each other of domestic abuse. Vicherat became the school’s third consecutive director to leave (one in a coffn) in the shadow of personal or professional transgressions. His departure was only Sciences Po’s second-biggest controversy of the week, behind a dispute between students over the war in Gaza. That row prompted French prime minister Gabriel Attal to make the 700-yard journey from his offcial residence to his old school’s council meeting to…

On any given evening this spring in Paris’s 8th Arrondissement, you could walk around the corner from the Hôtel de Crillon and behold something many thought they would never see again. Maxim’s, the famed bistro that debuted in 1893 and hosted generations of boldface names, had its lights on and was very much open for business. A peek in the windows of this icon of Art Nouveau opulence, which was reborn last December after lying dormant for years, would reveal a room full of Parisian bankers and fashion executives, the type of crowd that is at home in a place where the filet is 103 euros and no one really cares who’s in the kitchen preparing it. A resurrection of this magnitude would cause astonishment in most cities, but in…

GEMINI MAY 22–JUNE 21 Despite your brilliant plans in June, you’re going to have to do some fine-tuning and make concessions. In July try again to adapt and be flexible, which, as a Gemini, you excel at. Finances and matters involving your security will be in the spotlight. Mars in your sign in August lends more force to your convictions, while Venus in Leo urges you to be diplomatic. TAG HEUER ($1,950), TAGHEUER.COM CANCER JUNE 22–JULY 22 If you feel thwarted in June, the key to disarming the opposition is to make an effort to include others in your plans. The new Moon in your birth sign in July is a launching pad for fresh endeavors, although harsh aspects involving Pluto will force you to reassess various assumptions. And while…

The thing about Paris, of course, is that everyone has their places, and the beauty of it is that you often find a new one each time you visit. So take this issue as a guide—eat and shop and stay at the places the T&C mafia recommends, and then add your own. Here’s my take: Before I leave, I book Laurent or Antony at JUSTASK-FRANCE.COM, the best drivers and fixers in the city. They have saved us during multiple fashion weeks, set us up with excellent guides for the Louvre, and figured out how to do Normandy in one day. I make sure there’s a room for me on the seventh floor of the Plaza Athénée, my home away from home, and that I have a morning for breakfast there…

1 Benchy Visit this tiny café in the heart of the 6th Arrondissement for the highest-quality sandos, onigiri, and pastries. 50 RUE DU CHERCHE-MIDI 2 Bar Des Prés It’s like dinner at the home of your richest friend in Paris, but with an unbelievable selection of sushi and cocktails. 25 RUE DU DRAGON 3 Takara If you want reliably excellent, comfortable sushi, the Paris version of NYC’s Omen never fails to satisfy. 14 RUE MOLIERE 4 Poké Bio Order the classic banh mi off-menu. You won’t be disappointed by the delicious and bright flavors. 18 RUE CLAIRAUT…

THE FACIAL Sophie Carbonari 170 Galerie de Valois Sophie Carbonari has long been the #IYKYK facialist in Paris—renowned for her unique fasciatargeting massage technique, in which she miraculously erases frown lines and sharpens jawlines—but next-level scheduling skills were required to catch her during one of her fleeting residencies at various hip hotels. Now she has a permanent address—in the majestic 17th-century Palais Royal, no less. “During Covid, when you were allowed to go out for only one hour a day, I would walk to the Palais Royal, sit on a bench, and dream,” she says. “I would tell myself, ‘One day I will be here. This is the best place.’ When a space became available, I almost couldn’t believe it.” That the new studio, a serene aerie with windows overlooking…

1 PADD Looking for a fancy bridle? For cavaliers in the know, PADD, on Boulevard Haussmann, has been the boutique since 1974. 2 Horse in the City For the ne plus ultra in guided rides, use this bespoke service. Lessons start at 130 euros and can be customized. HORSEINTHECITY.FR 3 Chantilly Polo Club The mallet-swinging set ventures about an hour outside Paris to see one of the pinnacles of the French Triple Crown. POLOCLUBCHANTILLY.COM…

SAMPLE THE PRODUCTS Ships sometimes offer a chance to try out the spa’s unguents early on in the cruise, or even get a mini-treatment. It’s worth it, despite the inevitable heavy sell. BOOK TREATMENTS IN ADVANCE That way you can plan your days. No point scheduling a soothing body wrap before a six-hour onshore excursion in the Mediterranean heat. CONSIDER A “SPA SUITE” Celebrity Cruises’ Aqua Sky Suites, part of the Retreat enclave, give you access to the Sea Thermal Suite, a scented spa haven. Regent’s top-tier Regent Suite (see page 73) has its own spa. SNAP UP APPOINTMENTS ON PORT DAYS There will be last-minute deals when everyone has gone ashore. Chances are you’ll have the ship’s thermal suite—hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, showers—to yourself before and after treatment. BOOK…

The attraction of cruising for me has long been the way a ship can take you multiple places without the need to repeatedly pack and unpack—the joy, in effect, of luggageless travel. So I was skeptical when I boarded the Seven Seas Grandeur in Miami last January. This sailing, on Regent Seven Seas’ sixth (and newest) vessel, wouldn’t be taking me anywhere at all. It was a showcase cruise—in this case, a two-day, two-night jaunt from the port of Miami out to sea and back again. Onboard were mostly travel pros, there to assess the experience before recommending it to their clients. I was on a mission of my own: With no terra firma experiences to consider—guides, itineraries, activities—I would zero in on the hothouse onboard world of an“ultraluxury” ship…

The lovely, unassuming young lady making her way down the Quai Anatole France in sneakers could be a graduate student. She wears no makeup and exudes a vibe of general intelligence, that of someone living a life of the mind. However, instead of proceeding to the Sorbonne, she turns to enter an imposing hôtel particulier with no signage. After ascending a flight of stone stairs and walking through one of the most imposing suites of rooms in Paris, she arrives at her offce. This is Laura Kugel, and if we follow her inside we will find ourselves in a world of opulence, history, and wonder. We are all welcome: Galerie Kugel is open to the public by appointment, although it takes a certain amount of nerve to ring the bell.…

COVERS NEWSSTAND: ON HER: VALENTINO HAUTE COUTURE JUMPSUIT AND PUMPS, 011-33-01-5329-9400. WHAT KATIE DID TIGHTS ($18), WHATKATIEDID.COM. EMILY-LONDON HAT ($1,822), EMILY-LONDON.COM. BLACK EYEWEAR SUNGLASSES ($240), BLACKEYEWEAR.COM. ON HIM: DIOR MEN TUXEDO ($5,000), BOW TIE ($220), AND SHOES ($1,000), DIOR.COM. CHARVET SHIRT ($545), BERGDORFGOODMAN.COM. SUBSCRIBER: ARMANI PRIVE GOWN, 212-988-9191. CARTIER NECKLACE AND EARRINGS, CARTIER.COM LE POIS, C’EST MOI  PAGE 84–93 BRIONI, 212-376-5777. BULGARI, BULGARI.COM. CAROL KENNELLY, CAROLKENNELLYMILLINERY.COM. CARTIER, CARTIER.COM. CHANEL HAUTE COUTURE, 800-550 0005. CHARVET, BERGDORFGOODMAN.COM. CHOPARD, CHOPARD.COM. CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, CHRISTIANLOUBOUTIN.COM. DIOR HAUTE COUTURE, BY SPECIAL ORDER, 800-929-DIOR. DIOR MEN, DIOR.COM. DOLCE & GABBANA ALTA MODA, DOLCEGABBANA.COM. EMILY-LONDON, EMILY-LONDON.COM. GIAMBATTISTA VALLI HAUTE COUTURE, GIAMBATTISTAVALLI.COM. HANDSOME STOCKHOLM, HANDSOMESTOCKHOLM.COM. HIRST COLLECTION, THEHIRSTCOLLECTION.COM. JIMMY CHOO, JIMMYCHOO.COM. KENNETH JAY LANE, SUSANCAPLAN.CO.UK. MAE CASSIDY, MAECASSIDY.COM. MESSIKA PARIS, MESSIKA.COM. MISS SOHEE, BY SPECIAL REQUEST, MISSOHEE.COM. SCHIAPARELLI HAUTE…

WHERE ARE WE GOING? It’s clichéd but true: Paris is always a good idea. During the Olympics, too, despite what the Parisians tell you. The opening ceremony on the Seine! Fencing in the Grand Palais! Dressage at Versailles! Even the biggest cynic can be swayed. But make no mistake: We may be Francophiles (as this issue makes clear), but when the games begin we’re Team USA—with the Ralph Lauren outfits to prove it. WHAT ARE WE WEARING? Selfies at the opening spectacle from your seats on the quai are one way to capture, and brag about, this experience. A great merch haul is another. This special edition Omega Seamaster Diver, with its Paris 2024 stamp, was created exclusively for the games—and it’s available only in Paris boutiques. Speaking of, a…

Go ahead and ask your friends. Everyone has a list of favorite Paris restaurants. Some will even drop you a Google Map. And, who knows, maybe they’re on to something. But you should also have a list of bulletproof greats. L’Arpège 84 Rue de Varenne Three Michelin stars for a vegetable-based menu? Alain Passard was the first to figure out how it’s done and the most adept at keeping it surprising by constantly updating the dishes. ALAIN-PASSARD.COM Pierre Gagnaire 6 Rue Balzac How has he stayed on top of Paris’s fine dining heap? “Gagnaire is still inventing, still walking a tightrope,” says longtime fan Ruth Reichl. PIERREGAGNAIRE.COM Septime 80 Rue de Charonne The food skews more nordic than traditional French, and the dining room, a favorite of locals and…

I discovered Paris in my twenties through my Indian godmother, an ex-model who had been a muse of Yves Saint Laurent in the 1980s. Kirat (or qui ne rate rien, as she was known locally: “she who misses nothing”) was exhaustingly social. Her circle of friends consisted of a deposed Georgian prince, a French countess, a Portuguese heiress, and a Charlusian character of ill repute (I’ll call him Umero). It was the last of these who, after he had given up trying to seduce me in the health club of the Ritz, let me into a dark Parisian secret: a BDSM dungeon called Transfert, within spitting distance of Place Vendôme. It was a strange time in my life. I was spending a semester abroad away from Amherst College, living in…

FITNESS BREAKFAST With all the grande-bouffing ahead, this was a Zen-like way to start the day: early help-yourself plant-based fare near the deserted pool, looking out to sea. CULINARY ARTS KITCHEN I learned to make pasta limone and classic French crèpes and picked up countless cooking tips—fun! On a regular cruise, I’d sign up for as many classes as I could. THE PICASSOS The Regent Suite’s Picasso lithograph is for occupants’ eyes only. But the three behind the bar at Prime 7 steakhouse add a definite kick to predinner cocktails. CRAFT COCKTAIL BAR I’ve never had so much fun watching a master mixologist at work. Run, don’t walk, to the Meridian Lounge: Word is out, and it gets lively in there as the night unfolds. QUARTZ BED MASSAGE A Grandeur…

The history of the French monarchy involves a long succession of Louises, one following the other, but in 1648 the country was between kings. Louis XIII had died five years earlier, when Louis XIV was just four years old. The country, therefore, was ruled by the widow of the former and mother of the latter, Anne of Austria, whose frosty relationship with her husband (they wed when they were 14) foreshadowed the one between their great-great-great-great-grandson, Louis XVI, and another Austrian, Marie Antoinette. Anne, like Marie Antoinette, is a much scorned figure only recently subject to attempts at rehabilitation. As sister to the king of Spain, her loyalty to France was questioned, and she was suspected of having secretly wed her chief advisor. But with a stroke of the pen…

During my first extended stay in Paris, in 2016, the city felt empty not just of Parisians but of friendship and ties. My French was truly abysmal. And beyond actual language, I did not understand the rhythms of the city at all. Paris does not really come alive until after lunch, and I was relieved to discover I could live a whole entire other day between 3 and 10. The summer sun sets later in Paris. While it was shining, my aloneness wasn’t so apparent to me, but in the evening, when I would wander down Boulevard Henri IV and along the Seine, it felt like a presence emanating from me in waves. Even as I marveled at my location, the glow of Notre‑Dame visible in the sky long before…