Why visit Paris 5-star palace hotels?

I asked my savvy New York friend, Allie if she ever had the nerve to go inside the creme de la creme hotels for a look round?

"All the time. Whenever it rains I drop in and people-watch in the lobby till the rain stops", she responded.

"How brave". Turns out there are many other good reasons why you should visit Paris' 5-star 'Palace' designated hotels. The bored lobby-sitter is by 17th century watercolorist, Louis Carrogis Carmontelle.

For the May Palace hotel map I was planning on a border of gold filigree

Like the golden grand staircase you'll see in Hotel Shangri-la, formerly home to Prince Roland Bonaparte.

Instead with Allie's advice I drew lobby armchairs for a border. Lately I'm chair mad...

Le Crillon has finally reopened after a 2-year renovation to bring it up to 'palace' high standards. The 1758 exterior at place de Concorde is thrilling.

Bear was thrilled with the interior - elegant and serene.

Hotel Meurice is more chic perhaps thanks to the eccentric decor of designer Philippe Starck.

For a fabulous splurge have tea at the Meurice's Dali salon. Top pastry chef Cédric Grolet's creations will seriously blow you away.

Flower lovers must make the rounds all of Paris 5-star hotels. Jeff Letham's arrangements at the Four Seasons George V hotel are divine.

An abundance of orchids

Bear enjoyed every luscious moment

Especially gazing into the George V courtyard

Most palace hotels are clustered together in the 8th and 1st arrondissements, so stroll from one to another. Nearby Plaza Athenée, another recent renovation.

Bear would have loved to stroll into Alain Ducasse's dining room there but we were too late. Tant pis

Would you like your portrait in front of Hotel Plaza Athenee? Do let me know s'il vous plait.

Voila! The May palace map is in the poste. A BIG MERCI to LIVING FRANCE for featuring my Paris maps in the June issue!

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Bisous, bisous, Carolg and Bear<🐻

Ritzy May Paris letter

Some months the Paris letter art comes easy peasy. Some months not so fast.

May is Mother's day, May day in Paris. And all that Ritz fuss. I thought I'd do Ritz tea cups...

Then I wandered into a closet-sized book shop, LIBRAIRIE MICHAEL SEKSIK at 10, rue du Cardinal and saw these liitle figures taking tea. So fun, so Mother's day...

Here's a closer look. Jane K. said, why not make them drinking afternoon tea at the Ritz? Bonne idée.

While in New york I found my old collection of flea market finds, many of them made in Paris!

Ah ha! Why not make the May letter 'perforated', a sort of cut-out and fold letter?

First some old Ritz research

I dropped in for a casual waltz through, hoping I could buy some Ritz blue ribbon in the gift shop

Peonies are in season.

A look in their garden. I did not get arrested.

Guerlain does a new muguet/lilly of the valley bottle each year for May day. I grabbed some perfume touches at Galeries Lafayette for letter envelope souvenirs...

Google helped out with lilly of the valley borders...

I always start letter art with one detail. If I can get that right its usually smooth sailing from there.

Don't forget to do your thumbnails or timbres as the French call them.

More trial and error, bits and pieces...

Et voila. At last finished and in the post yesterday. No perforations or folding this time. À la prochaine peut-etre? Oui o non? You tell me.

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Visite guidée: Hôtel Lauzun, Ile St. Louis

If you thought the RITZ PARIS AUCTION was luxurious you ain't seen nothing.

A reserved Saturday guided visite to HOTEL LAUZUN, (the only way you can get in) blew me away. A little background on the DUC DE LAUZUN. Thank you Wikipedia!

Himself. Quite the gent with very expensive tastes in both womene.

And decor.

A series of golden doorways lead one unto the other, each more fabulous than the other.

Not one inch is without decor d'or.

Beautiful, beautiful.

Words cannot do justice. Note the scallop shell. They are everywhere in the mansion.

As is lapis blue color, a very rare color back in the 17th c.

Bleu, bleu, blue

The wall decor is from the school of Simon Vouet, one of the Versailles creators.

Louis le Vaux and Charles le Brun also had their hand in Hôtel Lauzun's magnificent creation.

Our excellent guide c/o BilletReduc.com The tour was in French with a smattering of English thanks to a teenager onboard. The tour lasts about an hour.

Which is about all you can take of this over-the-top luxe before coming up for some air.

Charges run 20-21€, including entry to Lauzun. Not every Saturday is available. You MUST book ahead so do not show up at 11:00 on a Saturday and expect to just in. There are many, many tours available. Just Google 'visite Hôtel Lauzun'

Here's our rather bored teenager (probably dreaming of a Berthillon ice cream) exiting Hôtel Lauzun, 17, quai d'Anjou. uSheer heaven. Thank you for reading Parisbreakfast. If you enjoyed this post, forward to a friend. Subscribe to Paris maps or letters in your mailbox + souvenirs at ETSY. Bonne Weekend!