"This is Chantal Crousel's second location, offering the same reliably excellent mix of emerging and established artists from the contemporary art scene: In the past, she's exhibited talents like Cindy Sherman, Jenny Holzer, Sophie Calle, and Richard Prince."

"Opened in 2006 in a soaring space designed by Jean Nouvel, this is part museum and part research/education center. You'll see a compendious display of objects and art from African, Oceanic, Asian, and American cultures that truly appeals to all ages. We always make any trip here revolve around lunch in order to take a pitstop at Les Ombres on the 5th floor: It has great views of the Eiffel Tower. "

"This is officially part of Les Artes Décoratifs (the main museum occupies the Western wing of the Louvre), but this is a great opportunity to tour a former private home and see pieces in situ. Incredibly intricate rugs, needlepoint chairs, and gorgeous table settings. Built in 1911 by Comte Moïse de Camondo, a Sephardic jew whose family made its fortune in banking in the Ottoman Empire, the house was left to his son, Nissim, who was killed in World War I; Moïse established the home as a museum in his honor. Years later, Moïse's daughter, Béatrice, and her family were killed in Auschwitz."

"Built on the collection of co-founder Henri Langlois—who, with the help of friends, managed to smuggle most of his compendium of films out of France before the German Occupation—the Cinématheque Francaise houses one of the largest movie archives in the world. Though it's had a peripatetic existence, it's now housed in a Frank Gehry-designed building. There are exhibitions along with daily screenings of classics (and a restaurant on the ground floor)."

"While Vanessa Bruno has more of a global presence these days, for many, a trip to the Paris flagship used to justify a flight to France. That’s because Vanessa Bruno offers a very specific spin on romantic-yet-modern clothing: Here, you’ll find delicate silk rompers arranged next to chunky lace tops and butterfly-patterned pants. It’s always pretty, but never, ever twee. There are also two other locations, one in the 6th and one in the 3rd."

"This just might be the best bookstore in the world. It has the vibe of a warren-like country home rather than a straightforward shop, books are piled haphazardly from floor to ceiling (many of which are in English), there are benches dotted here and there, and it's staffed mostly by college kids who are full of great recommendations. It’s also home to a rich literary history—over the years, Shakespeare and Company has played host to famous American writers like Allen Ginsberg, Ernest Hemingway, William Burroughs, and William Styron. Founder George Whitman (the shop is now run by his daughter, Sylvia) famously opened up the shop’s cozy benches and couches to artists and writers who needed a place to stay. Many of these drifting creatives—or tumbleweeds, as they became known—went on to become important literary figures in their own right."

"When a handful of city cemeteries were closed in the 18th and 19th centuries because they were overflowing and posed a threat to public health, the bodies of more than six million Parisians were relocated to a former quarry below the city. What's even gnarlier is that bones and skulls were used to create its walls. You can tour the labrynth-like ossuary—and theoretically visit the remains of notables like Rabelais and Robespierre—but this is not for the claustrophic, and probably not for kids."

"As seems to be the way in Paris, Pierre Hardy was many things before he was a shoe designer. Initially, the Parisian-born Hardy was a professional dancer. And then he was an illustrator for Vogue Hommes. And then he went to Christian Dior to design shoes, before moving on to Hermès. While he launched his own, iconic collection in 1999, he’s never stopped working for other brands. He’s still the creative director of Hermès’ fine jewelry, and he does men’s and women’s shoes for Balenciaga. His space in the Palais Royal is dark and gothic, which is a pretty epic backdrop for his day-glo shoes and cube-patterned clutches; his second location in the Palais Bourbon is equally (wonderfully) gloomy. There's another store located in the 1st."

"Lined in lush blue velvet, stepping into Lydia Courteille feels a bit like stepping into a music box. It’s a fittingly dream-like backdrop for her handcrafted pieces which take a deep bow to fantasy. Fire opals are set in the maws of lizards, and diamond fireflies sit on carved coral flowers: All of her jewelry is stunningly unusual."

"Artistic Director Gaia Repossi has transformed her family’s old-world institution—which is the official jeweler to the Royal Family of Monaco—into a relevant and modern brand. Ear cuffs, black diamond-studded earrings, rings that span two digits, and collaborations with designers like Alexander Wang may not be the normal provenance of a nearly-century old jewelry house, but the decidedly cool results justify the departure."

"Now two locations strong, French Trotters pretty much epitomizes what a great boutique should be: Beyond a host of exclusive collaborations, their buyers manage to zero in on the best and most relevant items from the lines they stock. Everything, from the perfectly turned out Michel Vivien suede booties, to the slouchy Jerome Dreyfuss totes, to the asymmetrical jackets from Humanoid, seems like an important wardrobe building block. Meanwhile, don’t miss the very well-priced house label."

"Opened by fashion designer Barbara Bui in the '80s, the two floors here are lined with marquee names like Saint Laurent, Miu Miu, Balenciaga, and Bui herself—though her namesake boutique is just a few doors down. There’s also a Kabuki for guys on the same block."

"There aren’t any clownish shoes here—in fact, there’s very little in the way of color or pattern. Instead, proprietor Miguel Lobato has built his business over the past 10-plus years by selling relative classics from some of the accessory world’s most interesting designers (Martin Margiela, Lanvin, Chloé, Jerome Dreyfuss). In keeping with the low-profile but luxe vibe, you’ll have to hit the buzzer to gain access to this clean-lined space, but what’s on the other side isn’t intimidating: This is the sort of store where you’ll find the boots you’ll wear all season, and the bag you’ll carry for at least a year."

"Though Maison Bonnet is still relatively little-known, almost everyone has seen the house’s glasses: After all, this fourth-generation, Maitre d’Art-recognized, family-run business, which was officially established in 1950, has made some of the most iconic frames around. Yves Saint Laurent, Le Corbusier, Jackie Onassis, and Jacques Chirac were all clients. While you won’t be able to pick up a pair at your local optometrist’s office, you can visit their appointment-only Paris outpost, which actually just opened in 2009 (the company operates out of a workshop in Sens, Burgundy). There, a master craftsman will map your entire face, measuring three different angles of your nose, the gap between your temples, the overall structure of your skull, the shape and tenor of your cheekbones and eyes, etc. One pair of glasses requires three visits (the final two can be condensed, for those who are visiting), and while they’re revered for their work in tortoise shell, they do more affordable versions in horn and acetate as well."

"Nothing Martin Margiela turns out is particularly basic, but thanks to a muted palette and exquisite tailoring, everything is supremely wearable. The Belgian designer’s boots are always classic (if cerebral), and his jewelry is pretty cool, too. MM6, Maison Martin Margiela’s more reasonably priced line, just found a home on 22 place du Marché Saint Honoré in the 1st. There's another location in the 9th. "

"Japanese designer Tsumori Chisato cut her teeth working for Issey Miyake after she graduated from Tokyo's Bunka Fashion School in the '70s, though when she launched her line in the '90s, it was with an aesthetic that was undeniably her own. Though they’re frustratingly hard-to-find in the world at-large, Tsumori Chisato pieces are pretty unmistakable, and are a total siren song for anyone who isn’t sartorially timid. Vivid colors and patterns, intricate embellishments, and offbeat details are mainstays, along with slightly avant-garde cuts: While they look challenging on the hanger, they’re transportingly cool when on. (If you’re too shy for one of her dresses, test-drive one of her metallic patchworked wallets.) The Paris shop—her first location outside of Asia—is as wonderland-like as her clothing."

"Undulating walls and soft pink lighting paint a perfectly futuristic scene for the forty or so Commes des Garçons perfumes on offer here. Everything the brand does pushes the needle just a little bit, from the fact that the fragrances are always unisex to the highly unusual notes in the perfumes: mineral carbon, sand dunes, nail polish, cellulose, aldehydes, saffron, and leather are all featured."

"Perfect linens, café au lait bowls, and enamel numbers, line the shelves at this truly eensy shop. There's also a great selection of ephemera—signage, menus, et al."

"While officially part of Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, these two markets are distinct enough to stand on their own: Here's you'll find the more rarified antiques and easy proximity to the delicious restaurant Ma Cocette."

"Throw pillows cut from Joseph Franck's iconic prints, cut glass serving bowls from Orrefors, and two-tone ceramic vases from Ditte Fischer fit right in with the vintage, mid-century Scandinavian furniture on offer here. You'll find low-slung Hans Wegner chairs, sleek unsigned credenzas, well-loved, clean-lined leather couches, along with brass orb pendant lights that look completely ageless."

"Leave it to the mind behind Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet to engineer Paris's most labyrinth-like club—in one of the city's most culturally significant buildings. Constructed in the late 19th century as a publishing press for France's leftist newspapers, Émile Zola printed "J'Accuse" there in 1898, and rumor has it that Molière might be buried in its hallowed ground. For its 2011 opening, David Lynch designed the entire, garret-like space himself, from the futuristic theater to the wood-block lined passageway to the '60s-style bar. Until midnight, it's a private club with screenings, talks, and private exhibits; after midnight, it's a full-on dance club with some of Europe's best DJs. "

"Home to Paris's fashion institute, this rehabbed 1907 warehouse on the Seine—marked by an undulating lime green glass roof—also plays host to exhibition spaces and a handful of boutiques (many of which sell student work). The real draw, though, is the new bar/club/rooftop restaurant called Wanderlust on the quay level. It occupies an outdoor terrace where you can catch an open-air screening or just sit in the sun. And lest we forget, new club Nüba lives on the roof. "

"Thaddaeus Ropac opened his first gallery in Salzburg when he was only 23, followed by an outpost in Paris seven years later. He represents a host of international talents (including Anselm Keifer), and is known for ambitious exhibitions and plenty of guest star curators (Sofia Coppola recently lent a hand). Thaddaeus Ropac just opened a new space in the Paris suburb of Pantin, which easily justifies a trip for collectors."

"Auguste Rodin donated his complete collection—including the pieces for which he's most famous like The Thinker and The Gates of Hell—to France so long as they promised to transform the very stately Hôtel Biron, which was his workshop from 1908 on, into a museum. There are thousands of his sculptures on-site, in both the museum's halls and scattered throughout the surrounding gardens, along with highlights from his personal art collection (Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, and Camille Claudel, who was his mistress). Schedule a visit for Wednesday night: You can walk the gardens under the light of the moon. "

"While the work of photographers like Helmut Newton might hypothetically seem too stark and modern for this rambling and elegant 18th century mansion, it's a combination that totally works: Beyond an impressive permanent collection, this museum always lands the exhibitions everyone is talking about, whether it's Shirin Neshat, Henri Cartier-Bresson, or Sebastião Salgado. Keep in mind that they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays."

"Taking up a large swath of the iconic Rue de Rivoli and facing the Tuileries garden, Hotel Le Meurice is a lot like the palace at Versailles, minus the train ride. Francophiles, understandably, will love it. The hotel is so grand and so ornate, each room brimming with Louis XVI furnishings—the holy grail of silks, gold, brocade, and crystal. While the suites are otherworldly, the classic rooms really hold their own, outfitted with French linen sheets, fresh flowers, floor-to-ceiling marble bathrooms, and beautiful artwork. If you can tear yourself away from those bathrooms, the Valmont spa (no one does toning treatments quite like the French), Philippe Starck–designed restaurant Le Dalí, and Alain Ducasse's Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Meurice Alain Ducasse—helmed by chef Jocelyn Herland, are all at your disposal. Oh, and you know those stunning, even-more-beautiful-than-real-life fruit-shaped desserts you've been seeing all over your Instagram feed? They are the creation of pastry chef Cédric Grolet, who's set up his patisserie right here in the hotel. "

"Flea market is a bit of a misnomer for Les Puces, which is inarguably the world’s most iconic: It’s a destination for antique and interiors lovers, and lined with the dealers that service them. You won’t find fledgling stalls—you’ll find full-on stores. In short: There’s no thrifting here, and very little that could be perceived as a bargain. The goods are gorgeous, though, and justify the high price tags."

"The handsome exterior—rendered in slate-grey—telegraphs the specifically old-fashioned aesthetic inside. Channeling the feel of a turn-of-the-century laboratory-meets-library, you'll find wonders from the natural world (shells, skeletons, taxidermy), alongside fleur-de-lis bookends and globes. There are a handful of antiques (chandeliers and the like), though a majority of the wares are excellent reproductions, meaning they have all the charm of the originals without the hefty price tags."

"So here's the deal: Sir Terence Conran's Habitat, which launched in England in 1964 with the sole premise of bringing affordable, useful, and beautiful everyday objects to the masses, pioneered the renovation of a massive former chandelier factory at Les Puces. And then they enlisted famed fashion retailer L'Eclaireur and a handful of venerable antiques dealers to join them in opening up shops. At Habitat, you'll find iconic vintage pieces from the company's past 40 years—all sourced from the staff and a general online appeal. If you're looking to unload a few Habitat pieces from years ago, you can likely sell them back here. Meanwhile, don't miss La Buvette in the complex, which traffics in cakes and excellent coffee."

"Paris's largest (and most historic) cemetery plays home to pretty much everyone you'd ever want to commune with after death: Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Georges-Pierre Seurat, Gertrude Stein, and Édith Piaf all rest here—plots are still available, but the waiting list is long. Photograph by Chemin Errazu"

"Located in the Western wing of the Louvre, this is where you'll find Aubusson carpets, plenty of Lalique, hand-painted ceramics, and Jeanne Lanvin's interiors. While the collection spans back to the 13th century, it also includes more contemporary furniture designers, too."

"With a palette of muted tones, and pieces that look like they belong in a sand-washed cabin on the beach, Caravane is a useful resource for unfussy linens—both for the bed and the table. There are other locations in the 4th, 6th, 7th, and at Le Bon Marché."

"The Hotel Particulier’s restaurant and bar (both open to the public) are designed to offer a respite from the craziness of the city. The food (a love letter to classic French cuisine) and the seasonal cocktails (the absinthe-spiked Montmartre julep is dangerously delicious) can easily stand on their own but, when enjoyed within the confines of the property’s hidden gardens, turn into an experience. The gardens also provide the kitchen with fresh ingredients, including honey from the beehives and eggs from the henhouse. The weekend brunch is legendary."

"With the style of a ’40s British lounge, this is the perfect respite after a morning haul through the Louvre. They have a great value prix-fixe menu, but we usually come for a snack, savored over an international paper on one of the library room’s overstuffed leather couches. Creaky wooden floors, a constant stream of jazz, and a well-heeled clientele make any pitstop here feel like a dignified affair."

"Smack in the middle of Paris’ Golden Triangle (Avenue Montaigne, the Champs-Élysées, and the Grand Palais), Martin Margiela—known and loved for his very specific and very conceptual spin on fashion—doesn’t immediately come to mind as a likely candidate for a second career as a hotel interior decorator. After all, his namesake boutiques tend to be impossible to find and packed with thrilling—though stark—design flourishes. But there’s nothing cold about Le Maison Champs-Elysée: It’s cool and other-worldly, but its architectural moments (neon signs, chairs draped to resemble ghosts, a rhomboid concierge desk) never compromise the comfort."

"This once-grand mansion turned five-room chic hotel was recommended to me by a discerning travel journalist. He had just gone to the opening and said it was really special and worth checking out. Each room is distinctly decorated by various artists. I’ve never stayed in Montmartre, but I love the idea of being in that area of Paris."

"In Paris, charming little eateries are a dime a dozen, but this bistro is a true standout. Located just steps from the Musée d’Orsay on the left bank, it serves reasonably priced French fare (duck breast, eggplant, tarte tatin), excellent wine, all against a backdrop of a lipstick-red banquette and a caricature wall. This is a neighborhood spot that gets pretty packed with locals in the evenings, so don’t expect to run into too many tourists."

"Popular with locals and staff from the nearby galleries, this lively and unpretentious Provençal-centric restaurant offers a set lunch menu that’s a total steal: €14.50 nets you either a main and an appetizer or a main and a dessert. If you opt for the latter, they make the most memorable and dangerously delectable chocolate mousse—which just so happens to be all-you-can-eat."

"The bric-à-brac décor here is pretty irresistible (a random antler shed here, some antique Chinese hats there), and it’s also the perfect backdrop for one of our favorite, out-of-the-way date night spots in Paris. The homestyle French cooking is as exuberant as the surroundings—and it’s topped off with excellent meringues."

"Since the 1920’s, Caviar Kaspia has been offering a luxurious, old-world Russian experience—with a beautiful view of the Eglise de la Madeleine. Plush, and paneled in wood, there aren’t many surprises in the dining room: You’ll find top-shelf caviar, blinis, champagne, and loads of vodka. The shop in the cellar sells everything from Iranian caviar to silver tableware to smoked fish."

"At 250 seats, this bustling, Phillipe Starck-designed restaurant has an industrial loft feel, which is actually a nice, modern antidote to the antique vendors in the surrounding flea. The food is feel-good French (ratatouille, green bean salad, steak frites), which is exactly what you want after a long morning of treasure-hunting at the Les Puces."

"On summer nights, the crowds here spill out onto the streets; when winter’s chill descends, it’s one of the cozier spots in the Marais."

"The Foundation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, situated in a Jean Nouvel-designed glass building and fronted by a soaring garden wall, houses an important—and growing—contemporary art collection. Don’t miss their Nomadic Nights, when the Foundation invites contemporary artists to host evenings of concerts, screenings, lectures, and performances."

"In a wildly compelling juxtaposition, this museum pairs electronic music and digital arts with the facade of an original 19th-century theatre. While the exhibitions are great, try to catch a concert here—and cap it off with a cocktail at the bar."

"Best known for giving Damien Hirst his first solo show in 1991, Galerie Perrotin trailblazed in the Asian art market (they also gave Takashi Murakami his first exhibition outside of Japan). Over the intervening years, Galerie Perrotin's pace hasn't dwindled: They continue to launch up-and-coming artists from around the globe."

"Chez Valentin may be small in size, but it's big on ambition: The contemporary artwork here always pushes the envelope in the most compelling way."