There are many ways to evoke life a la Parisienne when in Paris. Biting into a buttery croissant in the morning; taking a romantic walk along the Seine in the afternoon; grabbing a buzzy apero Kir on a bistro terrace come the evening. If the goal is to live like a Parisian, the only place to spend the night is none other than Le Bristol Paris.
Having first opened its doors in 1925, the Oetker Collection Masterpiece Hotel—spanning three buildings fronted by Paris’ signature Haussman-style façade synonymous with the modernisation of Paris in the 19th century—has seen the city through many important ages. From the Roaring Twenties, when the capital was a jewel of creativity, to the 2024 Olympic Games, where the special spirit of the City of Light shone across the world, it has welcomed the glitziest and most glamourous that came and comes through. This year, as it celebrates 100 years since meeting the world, it even has a line-up of festivities for all the senses—from fashion and dining, to art, culture, lifestyle, and even something for the little ones.
Le Jardin Francais
A hundred years later, life at the property remains as Parisian as it gets. Come home to your rest and respite from the city at an address that’s mere steps away from the Élysée Palace, the heart and home of Paris’s presidency and governance. Le Bristol Paris may be the first Parisian hotel to be awarded the Palace status by the French Ministry of Tourism in 2011, but it’s a palace with a lot of warmth and heart. At check-in, its resident cat Socrate might even mew you a welcome—if your arrival doesn’t coincide with his nap time.
Socrate, Le Bristol’s resident cat
All of Le Bristol’s 190 rooms and suites come furnished with a Parisian eye—with ornate baroque-style furniture illuminated by gleaming crystal chandeliers and cushioned by plush carpets that match wallpapers, curtains, and tapestries. If you are able to book Suite 1925—also known as the Josephine Baker Suite, on the seventh floor—the room’s classic 18th-century design comes heavy with silk accents and sweeping views of Parisian rooftops, punctuated by the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
View more images of Suite 1925
Suite 1925
The lavish suite comes with a separate living area of its own, resided over by a portrait by Madame Baker herself, the American-born French entertainer, who made huge contributions to the swing era with star billing at the Folies-Bergère. Taken from the cover of her Best of Josephine Baker album, the painting is an appropriate ode to this much-loved habitué of Le Bristol, where, in 1975, she famously invited 250 guests to the hotel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her Paris debut at the Bobino Theatre.
Breakfast at Epicure that overlooks Le Jardin Francais
Breakfast is a proper Parisian affair; that is, enjoyed leisurely in your choice of the lounge-like Cafe Antonia, three-Michelin-starred Epicure upon reservation, or the al fresco Le Jardin Francais in the summer. Every table comes with a basket of viennoiseries (breakfast pastries), supplemented by an a la carte menu any Parisian bourgeoisie would delight in. Soft-boiled eggs with a side of caviar is impossible to miss, along with options of three-cheese croque monsieurs, as well as Eggs Benedicts with or without avocados to your preference.
114 Faubourg
Le Bristol Paris is the proud home to a total of four Michelin stars. For a taste of true Parisian brasserie-style dining, look no further than 114 Faubourg, the one-star epitome of chic and home of Chef Vincent Schmit. Smart but relaxed, refined but bustling, the two-floor space reverberates energy from across an open-plan kitchen, which offers a glimpse into the making of its menu.
114 Faubourg
For lunch and dinner, its menu is a careful curation from across the terroirs of France, from the treasures of the northern shores—such as Brittany blue lobster tarragon bisque with candele pasta stuffed with vegetables—to the harvests of the southern planes, apparent with the duck and foie gras paté in a crust. In between, French specialties are aplenty: roasted veal filet mignon, hand-chopped beef tartar, veal sweetbreads, and langoustine vol-au-vent, all executed to true French know-how and tradition.
The pool at Le Bristol
When it comes to dessert, nothing spells Paris like the flan pâtissier, the French vanilla custard tart encased in a buttery pastry crust. Also known as the Parisian Flan, it is the taste ubiquitous in every suburban bakery across France. Ask any Parisian where to get the best one and, chances are, they’ll tell you to head to L’Epicerie du Bristol, located just across the room from 114 Fauborg. Gleaming glass doors part to showcase a cabinet of gourmet curiosities, ranging from breakfast pastries and handmade jams to extensive arrays of house-made chocolates and canelés, éclairs, as well as the hotel’s iconic flan, which is a perfect accompaniment to a freshly brewed hot chocolate.
Le Bristol Paris x Sporty & Rich Ready-to-Wear Collection
If eating, sleeping, and breathing in this spirit of Parisian charm in the halls and rooms of Le Bristol is still not enough to imbue you with true Parisian spirit, cap it all off with a wearable souvenir or two from La Boutique. Le Bristol’s first ready-to-wear collection, Le Bristol Society, features a collection of embroidered items, printed sweaters, cotton canvas caps, and pajama sets that signify a membership into a club where classic meets modern, luxury flourishes in simplicity, and noble spirits find solace in exquisite materials.
With a century of history to draw upon, Le Bristol has properly carved a niche for itself in providing genuine Parisian elegance. The next time you’re looking to live, breathe, and experience the true French art of joie de vivre, you know where to look along one of the city’s most prestigious addresses on Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
