Recently, our team celebrated Luster’s Sweet 16 with a beautiful 36 hours in Paris. Armed with The 500 Hidden Secrets of Paris, we made the most of our short visit and are happy to share our tried-and-tested spots.
We stayed at Hotel Grand Amour, the sister hotel of Hotel Amour. Conveniently located just a stone’s throw from the Eurostar arrival station Gare du Nord, and near the lively Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis with its charming eateries and colourful vibe, this delightful little hotel puts you right in the heart of one of the most fun parts of Paris.
The best way to fully absorb Paris is of course by exploring as much as possible on foot. About a 30-minute walk from Hotel Grand Amour is Japanese supermarket Irasshai, heaven for lovers of Japanese cuisine. Our lunch at the in-house Shokudo cantine was wonderfully pure, and sitting on the terrace was a treat.
Then came one of the highlights of our trip: a visit to the Bourse de Commerce, where the exhibition Corps et âmes is running until August 25, 2025. The impressive video installation by American artist Arthur Jafa enhances the stunning transformation of the central rotunda by Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
As a publishing house, we also love to visit special bookstores to see our books in their natural habitat. We stopped by Ofr., Artazart, and the lively Bonjour Jacob: a beautiful testament to the fact that print is far from dead. This coffee bar/concept store sells a great selection of books and magazines, and has two locations: one in Saint Germain and one by Canal Saint-Martin (the cosier of the two).
While you're at Canal Saint-Martin, we highly recommend picking a terrace for an apéritif in the sun, such as at Chez Prune or La Marine.
We had dinner at Le Collier de la Reine, which specializes in fish and seafood. With its atmospheric interior full of dark wood, white tablecloths, and candlelight, this is a place to remember.
The morning of day two brought a visit to the Musée Rodin, with its lovely sculpture garden and impressive overview of the enormous oeuvre of the beloved 19th-century sculptor.
We wrapped up our anniversary celebration with a delicious lunch at true hidden gem Cibus. We can't describe it better than Marie Farman, author of The 500 Hidden Secrets of Paris: “This little restaurant has only six tables. The minimalist interior creates a special atmosphere, making you feel almost like a member of a privileged club. This is where insiders come to enjoy refined dishes prepared exclusively with organic ingredients, from the olive oil to the pasta.”
All that remained was to cross the street for one last stop at the new location of concept store Merci, fittingly named Merci #2, to browse their selection of customized clothing, homeware, and unique trinkets. And to end on a high note: we even spotted a Luster book there. Merci, Paris!
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To celebrate our 16th birthday, we’re offering 16% off all books in our webshop for 16 hours. Use the code SWEET16 at checkout to enjoy the discount.
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