Colombe McCarthy

McCarthy likes the Hotel Gabriel, a “contemporary, cocooning” hideaway known for its NightCove sleep machine that was developed by a French professor who specializes in sleep disorders. “It is not in Le Marais as the website indicates, but in a really trendy neighborhood near the Canal St. Martin. Apparently, the NightCove works so well that after three nights many guests want to buy it. The Hotel Gabriel sells the machine and ships it for guests [1400 euros].”

For clients looking for a day trip outside the city, McCarthy suggests the Chateau a Sceaux as an alternative to Versailles and Vaux Le Vicomte. “It’s accessible by RER train, has amazing gardens and a great art collection, and of course, is nowhere near the same crowds as Versailles.”

The Rapide is all about power and prestige, with a V12 under the hood, 6-speed automatic transmission, and four “swan song” doors. Meanwhile, at just 10-feet long, the 4-cylinder, 1.3-liter Cygnet is sized just right for exploring the City of Light, with a handcrafted interior comparable to the most exclusive Aston Martin sports cars.

Visit www.plaza-athenee-paris.com.

Word is Pierre Yves-Rochon has been bought back to helm the redesign. “We have identified around 12 touchpoints we thought needed to be worked on,” said Christopher Norton, general manager of the hotel, to TTG Live. “These include everything from doubling the size of the mirrors in the bathrooms and adding in-mirror TVs, rewiring the entire room to accommodate guests’ needs for more sockets for devices, moving the mini-bar up to eye level, installing coffee-making machines and redesigning closet space.”

TTG Live reports that a new eighth-floor honeymoon suite will be built and open in June. It will have five terraces and 360-degree views of the city.
 “When we opened 12 years ago, we redefined Parisian luxury hotels and the others back then took notice,” said Norton. “Now all of us are very aware of the newcomers on the scene and of the government’s move to classify officially those of us deemed to be true palace hotels..” New comprtion comes from Shangri-La, Royal Monceau and new Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula hotel.

Though the hotel is just steps away from the Place des Lices in the heart of Saint-Tropez, there’s really no need to leave the premises: eat breakfast under the lemon trees at The B.; get a massage at the Byblos Spa by Sisley; sup at Spoon (an Alain Ducasse creation); then party with the in crowd til the wee hours at Les Caves du Roy, the nightclub that’s become a symbol of Saint-Tropez nightlife.

Le Spa embraces the true definition of spa (“Sanitas Per Aquas,” Latin for “healing by waters”) and so treatments incorporate the principle of hydrating the body for wellness and renewal. The spa’s wet facilities include a steam room and sauna, in addition to the afore-mentioned whirlpool. (Note: Swimsuits are required because the whirlpool is co-ed.) It’s possible to spend an entire morning or afternoon just using the spa’s wet facilities. If you book a treatment, use of the wet area is free. The four treatment rooms are spacious, zen-like spaces designed in a contemporary style and lit with candles; the couple’s suite also features balneotherapy. Colored lights in the room can be adjusted according to the specific treatment, just as each treatment is customized for individual clients.

Though it’s an intimate urban spa, the treatment menu is exhaustive, with everything from Deep Tissue Massages (160 euros for 60 minutes) and Reflexology (150 euros for 60 minutes) to Pure Relaxing Facials (115 euros for 45 minutes) and Body Scrubs using mineral crystals and a semi-precious gemstone balm to exfoliate and moisturize (110 euros for 40 minutes). Beauty products are by Payot, and the Verbena aromatic oil used in massages was created by the hotel’s perfumer Blaise Mautin. To prolong the relaxation after the treatment, guests are invited to linger in the lounge where their therapist will serve them acai berry juice and flavorful macarons.

Tip: Sandrine Josse, the Spa Manager (sandrine.josse@hyatt.com; 011-33-1-58-71-10-09), is arguably one of the best massage therapists in the City of Light. Insiders tell us that Gabriel is quite talented, too.

The hotel’s 23 double room accommodations—set in seven buildings, which date back to the 17th and 18th centuries and are linked by bridges, cobblestone walkways and courtyards—are decorated in cool whites with splashes of lavender, lime and framboise and have Bose sound systems.

The seven Junior and Master Suites are larger—we say Nos. 27 and 33 are the tops—with private terraces and views of Mont Ventoux and the Rhone Valley. There’s also a small house, La Sousto, with a lounge and two bedrooms—which we say is perfect for a family of four. The hotel’s pièce de résistance is a heated outdoor pool and new La Grange Bar.

Michelin-starred Chef Christian Delteil (christiandel teil@crillonlebrave.com), former executive chef of England’s iconic Chewton Glen, is the hotel’s new on-site directeur, ensuring a stellar food and wine experience. Note: There are weeklong cooking programs in April and October, Truffle & Wine Weekends in November, and wine-tastings, antique markets and other events throughout the summer.

Note: We hear the hotel is fully booked for the Friday and Saturday nights of Easter weekend (April 22 and 23). Readers can contact Reservations Manager Jessica Hufschmitt (jessica@crillonlebrave.com; 011-33-490-656-161) with further inquiries.

The seven guest rooms and 16 larger suites have floor-to-ceiling windows, which allow natural light to flood in. France Chic’s pick is the contemporary, 1,076-square-foot Suite Taillat, which is decorated in ochre, white and sandy beige. The suite also boasts stone floors, woven rugs, sleek modern furniture and a private terrace and garden.

La Réserve also has 12 classic Provençal-style vacation villas available for rental on a short- or long-term basis. They vary in size from four to six bedrooms with fully equipped kitchens and private terraces, pools and gardens. A central lounge, bar and restaurant serve Mediterranean cuisine, and a private chef can prepare meals or cater parties. Luxury travel advisors can contact Director of Sales Alexia Beugnon (abeugnon@lareserve.ch; 011-41-22-317-1614).

The centerpiece of La Réserve is the expansive 10,000-square-foot, wellness-centric spa. It focuses on four key objectives: stress reduction, fitness, slimming and beauty. The spa is able to achieve this via 13 treatment cabins, an indoor pool, fitness studio, steam bath, sauna and solarium.

A multidisciplinary team of medical, health, fitness and beauty experts will customize programs to match individual guests’ needs. The extensive treatments menu incorporates the exclusive La Mer skincare range. We hear that the previous spa manager, Isabelle Sinceretti, left the hotel at the end of last season, and the search for a replacement is currently underway. Until then, luxury travel advisors can get in touch with General Manager Nicolas Vincent (nvincent@lareserve.ch; 011-33-494-449-444) with any spa-related questions.

Michelin announced that the new guide listings reflect the shift towards more value-oriented, bistro-style eating over the white tablecloths and silver service in the Michelin-starred world of haute gastronomy. Eater points out that the 2011 Michelin Guide France has more Bib Gourmand restaurants—honoring eateries in which a full meal costs than €35 (US$48) in Paris and €29 (US$40) in the rest of France—than starred-restos.

New two-star restaurants in the guide include: Jean-François Piège at L’Hôtel Thoumieux (currently appearing on the French version of “Top Chef,” Jean-François Piège used to helm Les Ambassadeurs at Le Crillon); L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon-Étoile, and Passage 53, formerly decorated with one star.

Image of Chef Jean-François Piège via L’Express

France

The town of Essoyes in Champagne has just opened a new museum dedicated to Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s work called “Renoir in Essoyes.” The museum primarily focuses on Renoir’s daily life and artistic style during the time he lived in Essoyes with his family, rendered by a reconstruction of the painter’s studio and exhibitions showcasing his family. Visitors can explore the area that once inspired Renoir’s works by walking through his former village and garden, where a selection of his canvases will be propped on easels. The permanent exhibition room, “The Renoirs’ Space,” covers the entire Renoir family’s life. By June of this year, a temporary exhibition will feature contemporary perspectives on the celebrated artist’s works, showcasing modern interpretations inspired by his paintings.

The Bonnard Museum, the first space to be exclusively devoted to painter Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), is set to open its doors this June in Le Cannet in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur. As Giverny was to Monet, Le Cannet was to Bonnard, as he spent the latter 25 years of his life in the Côte d’Azur, and employed his surroundings as inspiration for his paintings.

The Lalique Museum, the first museum solely dedicated to René Lalique’s glass and crystal work, will open in the town of Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace this spring. Situated in the 18th-century glassmaking site where Lalique first started his now celebrated work, the new museum will trace the history of glassmaking, as well as display nearly 600 pieces from Lalique.

Menton is opening a new Jean Cocteau Museum in November of 2011. While Cocteau lived in the Riviera during the 1950s, he made his mark on Menton by creating a number of artworks commissioned by the city. This new museum, situated in Menton’s Old Town, will be dedicated to Cocteau’s works from 1910 to 1950. The collection consists of a total of 1,525 works, which will be displayed on rotation through both permanent and temporary exhibitions. Also featured in the museum will be an educational workshop space, a bookstore, and cultural center with a café and lecture room.

Just in time for the holiday season, the hotel’s opening rates start at $400 through February 28, 2011, a rate that includes breakfast, complimentary Champagne from 6pm-8pm and a special gift of a caddy of  the “2000 ans d’écriture” tea from the exclusive French tea house, Le Thé des Écrivains.

Visit www.pavillondeslettres.com.