Water's edge
Les Roches, Daimant Saint-Honoré, 4th arr properties, Taka & Vermo, best craft beer bars, Annette K., Stockholm, Corfu, MORE
ASK FOUND
First, a handful of responses to our call for targeted Stockholm tips (keep them coming):
Ett Hem and Bank Hotel (to stay); Svartsö Krog and Babette (to eat); Svenskt Tenn (to shop).
Two more PROMPTS for which we seek additional answers:
Which getaway hotel have you booked for August?
Which autumn restaurant opening are you most looking forward to?
Hit reply or email found@foundparis.com with answers and more questions.
GETAWAYS • Le Var
Club Med
When Parisians in the know crave a seaside summertime escape in the South of France, they bypass jam-packed Saint Tropez and the mobbed, overbuilt Riviera for a necklace of quieter and much prettier water’s edge towns in Le Var. Notably, Hyeres, Sanary-sur-Mer, and palmy Le Lavandou, where the 42-room Les Roches — one of the most discreetly glamorous new hotels in France — opened in July after a complete overhaul of a 1930s hotel originally known as Les Roches Fleurie.
A longtime favorite of writers and artists, including everyone from Thomas Mann and Jean Cocteau to Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, this property seduces by being bang on the edge of the Mediterranean, or what the French call ‘pieds dans l’eau,’ (your feet in the water).
The property’s architect, Jean-Baptiste Pietri, highlighted the original modernist stylings of the hotel in his deft expansion of this intimate property and its public spaces. Upstairs, almost every room has the same spectacular views over the sweeping turquoise waters of Aiguebelle Bay, and those with deep balconies are perfect places to spend an afternoon reading, maybe punctuated with an occasional dip in the pool or the Med itself.
The streamlined décor of the rooms is inspired by the minimalist serenity of Japanese ryokans, cabins on the great ocean-liners of the ’30s and the Riviera itself, with oak parquet or terrazzo floors, blonde wood headboards, plump chairs and sofas and white, cream and taupe-painted walls and accents of petroleum blue. In homage to the post-Impressionist painters, including Signac and Seurat, who were inspired during stays at Le Lavandou, contemporary works by artists like Michelangelo Pistoletto, Ma Desheng, Loris Cecchini, Maki Ohkojima and Romain Barré, among others, are on display in the hotel’s public spaces.
Chef Anthony Gras, who holds a Michelin star at Les Barmes de l’Ours, Les Roches sister property in the Alps, serves a contemporary seafood menu at L’Oursin, the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant, which also features a wine list by sommelière Magali Delalex that showcases the best wines of the South of France, many of them natural or organic.
Other amenities include a bar, gym, and spa with an indoor pool. All safely tucked away from the crowds. –Alexander Lobrano
→ Les Roches (Le Lavandou) • 1 Avenue des Trois Dauphins • Rooms from 800 €.
GETAWAYS LINKS: New ‘earth resort’ Vale Palheiro tells a new story in the Algarve • It’s time to ditch the summer holiday wardrobe.
RESTAURANTS • First Person
Plant glam
Somewhere between fashion fantasy and vegetable rotisserie, Daimant Saint-Honoré is a theatrical new address doing plant-based with a wink. Open ‘de midi à minuit’ (12h-24h) just off Rue du Marché Saint-Honoré, it’s a colorful boudoir made for vegan croquettes with sauce ravigote.
The three-story space is unapologetically glam. There’s the moody Salon Héritage with its old-school zinc bar, the sun-drenched Riviera room upstairs with yellow-and-white awnings, and a secret charcoal Suite Noire in the basement for private dinners. Every detail is cinematic, like lacquered crimson tables, papaya velvet seating, glossy finishes, and carmine carpets that look like they’ve hosted a few scandals.
The kitchen follows suit: grilled cauliflower head with café de Paris butter, roasted veggies, and artichoke hearts prepared like duck. There’s also a bar à mousses au chocolat for dessert and a parade of well-sourced wines and zero-proof options. And in the bright red restrooms, Jessica Troisfontaine whispers poetry in your ear. –Victoire Loup
→ Daimant Saint-Honoré (1st arr) • 3 Pl. du Marché Saint-Honoré • Book.
PARIS WORK & PLAY LINKS: 10 reasons to love Paris in August • How to cruise the Seine • Chatting with Hello French’s Cécilia Jourdan • Luxury’s problem? The price isn’t right.
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Three properties currently on offer in the 4th arr.
→ Rivoli/Sebastopol (metro Hôtel de Ville) • 4BR/2.1BA, 149 m2 • Ask: 1.9M € • 3rd-floor apartment with herringbone parquet flooring and 3 marble fireplaces • Annual maintenance/condo fees: 3892 € • Agent: Marie Fabry, Daniel Feau.
→ Marais/Saint-Paul (metro Saint-Paul) • 4BR/2BA, 130 m2 • Ask: 2.385M € • duplex spanning 5th and 6th floors, with wraparound terrace • Annual maintenance/condo fees: 5440 € • Agent: Rex Berkeley, Engel & Völkers.
→ Le Marais (metro Saint-Paul, above) • 2BR/2.2BA, 224 m2 • Ask: 3.8M € • 2-level apartment with sizable patio in historic Hôtel de Vibraye • Annual maintenance/condo fees: NA € • Agent: Sotheby’s International Realty.
WORK • Friday Routine
Shrinking
CAROLINE BIA • psychologist
Neighborhood you live in: Passy
It’s Friday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I'm a psychologist and a sports psychologist, working with high-performance sports organizations. I also teach a few university courses in other cities, in Brest and Dijon, both accessible by train. Depending on the week, I might be meeting with athletes and coaches, providing consultations, or preparing lectures for my students. My workplace shifts between offices in sports facilities and university classrooms, and sometimes, I work from home to catch up on reports or research. I have a little ritual every Friday — I walk my dog at the Bois de Boulogne. It’s a peaceful, nature-filled start to the weekend and it helps me clear my mind before diving into the rest of my busy day.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
No restaurant plans for tonight — I’m going to the Annette K. swimming pool. It’s a unique pool set on a barge, floating on the Seine, which makes for an amazing training environment with beautiful views of Paris. I’m going there as part of my preparation for the Deauville triathlon.
I’m always excited to discover new restaurants, especially Italian ones, and classic French bistros like Paul Chêne or Le Relais de l'Entrecôte.
How about a little leisure or culture?
For a little leisure and culture, I love going to Les Fermes de Gally to pick fruits and vegetables and flowers too. I also really enjoy the various 10K races organized in Paris. So far, my favorite has been the Adidas 10K, which has a great course.
This weekend, I’m planning to visit the AURA exhibition at Les Invalides. It’s an immersive light and sound show that transforms the historic site with stunning visual effects, creating a magical atmosphere. And while it might sound simple, my absolute favorite thing is to take a walk along the Seine at sunset. Watching the sun reflect off the façades of Parisian monuments and buildings is always magical, and a perfect way to end the day even if you’ve lived here your whole life like me.
Any weekend getaways?
A great spot for a weekend trip is Aix-en-Provence. It’s about a three-hour train ride from Paris on the TGV, making it an easy and quick escape. I stayed at the Grand Hôtel Roi René Aix-en-Provence Centre – MGallery, which is a fantastic hotel right in the city center. It’s just a short walk from the famous Cours Mirabeau, a lively street lined with restaurants, cafés, and shops. The atmosphere is charming, perfect for strolling around, enjoying local cuisine, and soaking up the Provençal vibe. Aix-en-Provence is where one of my first conferences on mental health in high-level athletes was held, so I have a soft spot for it. It was a great opportunity to combine work with the charm of the city.
What was your last great vacation?
My last great vacation was in Corfu with my best friend. We had an amazing time exploring the island! We visited the capital, Corfu Town (Kérkyra) and explored the beautiful Achilleion Palace, also known as the House of Sisi. One of the highlights was an excursion to Paxos and Antipaxos, where we saw dolphins, swam in caves, and enjoyed the crystal-clear turquoise waters. We loved dining at a charming restaurant called Taverna, where we had delicious traditional dishes like dolmas, zucchini balls, tzatziki, and halloumi. The sunsets from our hotel were breathtaking, making our stay even more special.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop
Curd’s way
There are cheese shops, and then there’s Taka & Vermo. After criss-crossing France and Europe to find the real thing (raw milk, small herds, traditional methods), Laure Takahashi and Mathieu Vermorel opened their boutique in the 10th arrondissement. They dropped their surnames into the sign, and most conventions out the window.
Inside, the display is a living map of French dairy genius. Chèvre? Fresh, cendré, saffron-rubbed, yuzu-swirled, even stuffed with fig or piment d’Espelette. Hard cheeses? A Comté cave-aged 36 months, Gruyère infused with sweet woodruff, and a pungent Beaufort. They’ve got the legends (Roquefort Vernières, Mont d’Or, mimolette extra-vieille, Brillat-Savarin) and seasonal collabs too: brie with glazed chestnuts and buckwheat, Saint-Marcellin with wild garlic, Saint-Nectaire dusted with Sansho pepper.
Taka & Vermo is also the place to grab cherry jam, quince paste, or a slice of homemade cheesecake made with real fromage frais and a shortbread crust. Their butter is worth packing in a suitcase to travel back home: bright yellow, raw, and made with milk from Jersiaise cows. There’s truffle butter too, with 15% black Périgord, but only when it’s in season. –Victoire Loup
→ Taka & Vermo (10th arr) • 61 bis rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis • Tue 9h30-20h30, Wed-Sat 9h-20h30, Sun 9h-13h30.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Les Bleus
Chappell Roan & London Grammar • Rock en Seine • Domaine national de Saint-Cloud (Saint-Cloud) • Wed @ 16h • ‘revolut garden’, 149 € per
Vivaldi: Les Quatre Saisons • Eglise Saint Germain Des Pres (Saint Germain Des Pres) • Fri @ 20h30h • cat 1, 55 € per
France v Espagne• Accor Arena (Bercy) • Sat @ 18h • cat 1, 90 € per
BARS • The Nines
Craft beer
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of the best in Paris and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or email found@foundparis.com.
Paname Brewing Company (19th arr, above), bustling microbrewery on Bassin de la Villette, sprawling outdoor terrace w/ ample seating