Discover the 8th arrondissement of Paris
Even for those who may think they know everything there is to know about picture-postcard Paris, from the glow of its lampposts to its splendors, all it takes is a new walk to make one realize just how much remains to be discovered. Believe it or not, locals and vacationing aesthetes alike dream of just one thing: catching a piece of its sky, capturing its light and grasping its quintessence, no less. In the immediate vicinity of La Réserve Paris Hotel and Spa, the 8th arrondissement can be seen as an enclave, embodying the prestige and cultural wealth of the French capital. Let’s journey back to 1909, when the illustrious couturier Paul Poiret set up his eponymous fashion house here. Since then, the great names in fashion and luxury, antique dealers, art galleries, theaters and restaurants have made their home in the Golden Triangle, between Avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Élysées. In the corridors of power, the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and its surroundings are distinguished by the discreet but significant presence of institutions, including the French Presidency, the Ministry of the Interior and several embassies. As you wander around, the art of living is omnipresent. In fact, a certain Victor Hugo once wrote that “to breathe Paris is to preserve one’s soul”.
