Paris Picks : Hammams

Winter in Paris alternates between skies of freezing blues, rainy grays and occasional scenes of snowy white. Where better to warm up than in a hammam? A centuries old tradition stemming from France’s former North African colonies, a luxurious Parisian hammam will transport you into another world, one of rejuvenation and bliss. Splurge on the full treatment which includes a scrubbing, or gommage to deep clean your body, followed by an exfoliating facial or relaxing massage. An hour or two of lounging in the soothing heat of the hammam will awaken all your senses. Where are the top spots this side of Morocco?

Immediately upon entering this sensory haven, you leave all your worries behind. Reminiscent of the splendor of this east, with ceilings adorned in ancient lanterns and floors composed of Moroccan mosaics, no detail is spared in this living hymn to oriental beauty. The central Paris location boasts a 200m2 hammam including sauna and pool, while in Boulogne the space is even more ample. Translated to ‘a hundred skies’, a luxurious gommage and massage at Les Cent Ciels will leave you feeling like you’re a celestial being. This sensation is captured in their own custom fragrance. In case you venture beyond Paris, the same heavenly experience can be found in Strasbourg, Lille and soon, Bordeaux.

Hammam Les Cent Ciels Paris // 7 rue de Nemours, 75011 // +33 (0)1 55 28 95 75
Hammam Les Cent Ciels Boulogne-Billancourt // 45bis Avenue Edouard Vaillant, 92100 // +33 (0)1 46 20 07 01

Parisienne with Algerian roots, Karima views the hammam as an art of living, a ritual dedicated to the harmony and beauty of the body. She opened O’Kari to share the traditions she grew up with, combining her family heritage with modern luxuries. It’s clear that once you enter Karima’s world, set within a stunning Parisian courtyard, your well-being is her only interest. You’ll quickly discover this as she advises you on exactly the right treatment for your bien–être. What better urban escape than an afternoon spent relaxing in the steam room and soaking in the hot tub? With essential oils imported from the famous Mitidja distillery in Algiers, don’t leave without a luxurious massage.

O’Kari // 22 rue Dussoubs, 75002 // +33 (0)1 42 36 94 66 // women only

Once only frequented by Moroccan royalty, this clandestine hammam and spa located in the heart of Paris opened to the public in 2004. Before the recent creation of a website, it was discovered solely through word of mouth, or perhaps by happy accident. Within this intimate space filled with traditional music floating through the eucalyptus and orange blossom scented air, prepare for a treatment using only natural ingredients, made on premises. I recommend an exfoliating facial using cinnamon, honey and sugar, followed by a sesame and honey mask. You’ll look as good as it tastes! It’s no wonder this address was kept a secret for so long.

Aux Bains Montorgeuil // 55 rue Montorgeuil, 75002 // +33 (0)1 44 88 01 78

For my favorite Paris spas, have a look here.

 

The Art of High Tea

Most of my artful afternoons in London alternate between the Tate Modern with Rothko and Picasso and the Tate Britain with my all-time favorite Paul Klee. A few weeks ago I jumped aboard Eurostar, this time headed to the Rosewood London hotel to indulge in another form of art, the edible kind.

Was I entering the home of a nobleman, I wondered as I strode through the regal wrought iron gates into the lobby of this eclectic hotel where behind every detail was a story waiting to be told.

With my tea date in tow, we were led to the Mirror Room, elegantly clad in neutral tones with welcoming pops of orange and yellow. The ceiling and select walls boasted a patchwork of mirrors. The room itself, much like the rest of the hotel, exuded art.

Rosewood London’s ‘Art Afternoon Tea’ began just over a year ago and we eagerly awaited the second batch of creations by Executive Chef Mark Perkins. I scanned the menu for a look at the latest inspirations and was pleased to be familiar with most of the artists. The curated selection included Banksy, Jeff Koons, Jackson Pollock, Wassily Kandinsky and Hubert Le Gall.

Following a glass of one the finest French bubbles, I was pleased to discover that gourmet tea brand Mariage Frères (again, French) was their tea of choice. I settled for a chai with hints of vanilla and began the feast, finger sandwiches first. British High Tea had to of course include freshly baked scones, and these were paired with clotted cream and lemon curd. Heavenly!

And now for the petit fours. Each delicate creation was a masterpiece in itself, revealing a depth of flavors almost as intricate as the artworks they inspired. As we cut into these hand-crafted confections, I felt a little guilt at the destruction, but it passed with each sweet inhale. Anyway, isn’t art meant to be devoured? I’ll be back in April for the next curation featuring an artist yet to be revealed.

As for Paris, favorite high teas include The Four Seasons and Le Meurice, both an experience in indulgence!

Les Gets

Every winter I try to discover another mountain destination where I can breathe in fresh alpine air, dine on savory meals (including lots of cheese) and practice skiing. While last year found me in Courchevel, this year I became completely charmed by Les Gets, a Savoyard village in the Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. What makes this village between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc so special is the intimacy you feel upon arrival. Les Gets is not merely an artificial ski station but a mountain destination filled with soul, all year round.

I immediately felt at home at the charming four-star hotel La Marmotte. Family run since 1947, the hotel is situated at the foot of the slopes and has in recent years expanded to include 63 rooms, four restaurants (including one in the mountains) and the luxurious Séréni-Cimes Spa. La Tapiaz hotel was added in 2011 offering an additional eight chalet-style rooms. I was impressed with the design and comfort of each of the unique rooms, ideal for a romantic getaway with plenty of suite options for families. And the restaurants… Aside from trekking up to the mountains for purposes of sport, no need to leave the hotel. Not to mention the spa where I could easily spend every evening between the hammam and jacuzzi. Heaven!

From La Marmotte I headed up for a tour of the landscape, this time via racket walk. Harder than it sounds!

With plenty of snowfall, the views were breathtaking! I could imagine the stunning scenes come springtime.

Appearing like an oasis was La Marmotte’s restaurant La Paika, high up on the slopes and well worth the climb to feast on traditional dishes and fish grilled on their wood-fire barbecue.

I forced myself to leave the hotel to explore the village, and stopped to buy a few local Haute-Savoie specialties, including cheese. Apparently my fondue feast at restaurant La Pivotte only whet my appetite.

What this gem of a village also has to offer is the impressive Mechanical Music Museum. Opened in 1988, this museum houses over 550 musical instruments from around the world, including chimes, street organs and mechanical pianos. Prepare to be both amazed and entertained! Yet another reason to plan a trip to the mountain haven of Les Gets.

Paris Picks : Spas

With the summer calm long gone, temperatures dropping and the bustle in Paris ever prevalent, it’s important to take time to relax your mind and indulge your body. Both as a visitor and a local, walking around the city all day will leave you inspired, albeit exhausted. I thought I’d share my favorite Parisian addresses (not connected to hotels) for relaxation from head to toe, foot massage included. Take note of these stellar Paris spas!

Free Persephone feels like stepping into Springtime, regardless of the season. This fragrance day spa features luxurious manicures and pedicures using all organic products, including Priti NYC polishes and all natural lavender scrubs. Scented with the owner’s own perfumes and a menu including tea and aromatherapy massages, you’ll leave beautified and relaxed, floating into the neighboring rive gauche.

Free Persephone // 66 boulevard Raspail 75006 // +33 (0)1 42 22 13 04

The first salon dedicated to the beauty of the face, body and hair, Carita was established over 50 years ago by two sisters. This ‘Maison de Beauté’ in the heart of Paris’s fashionable Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, is an address well respected by the beauty elite. Following a rehydrating and lifting facial treatment, your skin will feel recharged with vitality. Simply put, you’ll leave the spa glowing!

Carita // 11 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré 75001 // +33 (0)1 44 94 11 11

How better to spend an afternoon than in a steamy hammam followed by a body mask of volcanic clay and an organic argan oil massage? Step into this luxurious Moroccan setting in the rive droite, or their first location in Boulogne, and find your bliss. Les Cent Ciels will leave you counting the stars while nourishing your skin and soothing your mind.

Les Cent Ciels // 7 rue de Nemours 75011 // +33 (0)1 55 28 95 75

Your sense of touch will be heightened with a visit to Le Spa Dans le Noir, in the heart of Paris. What makes this sensory experience so special is the fact that you’re being treated in complete darkness (with an option for light), by a sight-impaired or blind massage therapist. Complete relaxation is the priority and the result, regardless of the massage you choose.

Le Spa Dans Le Noir // 65 rue Montmartre 75002 // +33 (0)1 83 95 46 77

Stepping through the portal of Ban Sabaï, you’re automatically transported to Thailand. Whether you choose a foot, hand, head or full body massage with all natural oils, your senses will accompany you on this journey to the Far East. This is the first Parisian address dedicated to traditional Thai massage, with several locations, some specializing in foot massage.

Ban Sabaï // 9 rue Saint Antoine 75004 // 46 rue de la Pompe 75016 // +33 (0)1 45 00 99 99

You can read more about these and other Paris spas in my latest feature in LUXOS Magazine (available in Paris) and find my top five hotel spas in Bonjour Paris. Happy pampering!

Perfume Inspired by Travel

I possess a strong sense of smell and simply adore perfume, but only very select scents. For the last few years I’ve been wearing Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel. I wasn’t planning on changing my fragrance until a trip to Courchevel last March. Testing a few samples of a perfume I hadn’t heard of or smelt before, I became completely smitten with the notes of a particular scent, which rarely happens. This is how I discovered Memo.

Little did I know, it was the perfect setting in which to become acquainted with a perfume company started by a couple that met on a ski lift. Clara and John Molloy are both avid travelers, he from Ireland and she from Andalucia, Spain. Together they set off on a journey to create Memo, a collection of scents inspired by their adventures around the world.

Why perfume? Fragrance has the same rite-of-passage dimension as travel, serving as a threshold between the known and the unknown. Smelling, breathing in a scent, is accepting to leave a safety zone in search of new sensations, and tying them to one’s personal experience. Fragrance kindles an excitement similar to that of a journey, a departure. It is about openness and abandonment. As a fellow traveler, I couldn’t agree more.

After writing a book on “noses” in 2006, Clara embarked on a voyage through the olfactory senses and Memo was born in 2007. For the last decade, Memo’s Les Echappées collection has been inspired by journeys from Asia to Africa including Manoa, Hawaii, Marfa, Texas and Granada, Spain. The scent that won me over was Lalibela, inspired by the mystical land of Ethiopia. This unique fragrance, with key notes of rose, patchouli and frankincence now joins me in Paris, Monterosso, The Hamptons, or wherever my adventures take me.

Visiting their flagship store off of rue Saint-Honoré in Paris, I discovered all eighteen luxurious scents, the most recent being Eau de Memo, a commemorative fragrance celebrating the 10th anniversary of Memo Paris. Just as their perfumes are inspired by travel, so too do they travel, now being available all over the world.

The expression that best captures the spirit of Memo is “The journey is the destination”. A perfume after my own heart.

Courchevel 1850

Last week I discovered the most chic winter destination in France. Courchevel is a ski resort in the French Alps. Part of Les Trois Vallées, it’s the largest in the world. Courchevel alone is made of up of three levels, the highest being 1850 meters up in the mountains. This was where we were headed. Having only skied in the U.S. and Italy, I was looking forward to the adventure.

Just over three hours after leaving Paris I arrived to hotel Le Strato, set high up in the mountains. This five-star alpine hideaway revealed stunning views of the Alps, with skiers passing by on the paths just outside my window. I was in snow-capped heaven! I breathed in the fresh mountain air as I settled into my luxurious room.

This family run hotel is one-of-a-kind. Opened in 2009 by “a young lady of over 80,” it was the realization of a dream for Jeannine Boix-Vives. It’s named for the Strato skis that had contributed so much to the Rossignol brand’s fame, a company once owned by Jeannine and her family. As she so wisely states “dreaming alone will not determine your destiny.” Every detail in the 25 suites is taken into consideration, from the elegant modern decor to the unique comforts (catching up on the news from the bathtub, for one). The unrivaled spa uses Sothys products and features two saunas, a steam-room, jacuzzi, gym and indoor pool. (My signature massage was heavenly!) I was thrilled too, to take an invigorating yoga class, adding to the bliss I already felt.

Symbolic of the three generations running Le Strato, family paintings hang in the library, dining room and along the corridors, complimented by wooden sculptures and artwork collected from around the world.

What makes Le Strato even more of a haute destination is its Michelin-starred gastronomy.  Restaurant Baumanière 1850 is run by Jean-André Charial (owner of the famous Michelin 2-star restaurant l’Oustau de Baumanière in Baux-de-Provence). With executive chef Lowell Mesnier working closely with chef Glenn Viel and Jean-André Charial, the food alone is worth the trip. Having already tasted Glenn’s cuisine on my visit to Baumanière, I knew I would dine like a queen. Every evening I looked forward to the gourmet feast following a cocktail at the cozy bar, live music filling the space. Breakfast in the same regal setting was an introduction into local tastes.

Ready to discover the mountains, I headed to the ski room for my gear, booked a teacher to guide me through the slopes and headed down the hill directly from the hotel. With many blue pistes to choose from, as well as a handful of red for those more advanced, I felt completely at ease. This was paradise!

Guided by the sun, we skied the smooth snow all the way down to the village and took the chair lift back up, with views of Mont Blanc in the distance. It took a few years, but finally I was feeling that ski high unique to those dedicated to the sport. I was elated and couldn’t wait to return with my expert Italian skier!

I even encountered art in the mountains during my first ever racket walk, a healthy alternative to skiing. “Doggy John” by painter and sculptor Julien Marinetti stands 175 cm at 2238 meters high.

Before the return to Paris I took a petit pause on the terrace, filled with gratitude at having experienced this tasteful family chalet that honored one woman’s life, while providing happiness to so many others.

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