Grandes fêtes
Comptoir De Vie, best bistros, triplex new to market in the 16th, 91530 Le Marais, La Table de Blanche, Printemps NYC, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Counter service
The Skinny: Following a series of pop-ups, Barney O’Kane and Alex Francis — two alumni of world-renowned mixology den Little Red Door — finally debuted their highly anticipated restaurant last month: Comptoir De Vie, which pairs a cocktail tasting with a fine dining menu, and is already one of the most talked about openings of the year.
The Vibe: Four distinct spaces represent each of the four seasons: spring (at forthcoming companion space Bar De Vie), autumn and winter in the two caves downstairs, and summer at Comptoir De Vie, as shown through the fresh green walls and ocean blue bar. The look is pared back but layered with texture, from repurposed oak tables and wall decorations made from recycled corn, to countertops crafted from volcanic rock and coasters made from naturally dyed Pyrenees wool.
Comptoir is a small space with a sociable team and an open kitchen, and most guests will sit around the bar to take it all in. Ask the team, and they’ll take you backstage to the R&D room where prepping and fermenting happens. In the blur of cocktails, it might help to know that the bathroom is hidden behind a huge mirrored wall downstairs.
The Food: Chef Adam Purcell already made something of a name for himself at Early June, but it feels like at De Vie he’s really coming into his own. Dishes carry the refinement of fine dining, without the pomp and pretension usually served alongside them. Witness the cod head beignet, a beer-battered mix of the (usually discarded) cheeks and collar, served with a fermented asparagus tartar sauce. There’s also a whole course dedicated to soda bread and butter.
An ethos of sustainability runs throughout, from Purcell’s sourcing to his clever and complete use of ingredients. Take a recent (and sadly departed) apple dessert: the puff pastry was soaked in syrup made from the apple cores, the apple flesh was cooked into a compote, and the ice cream came from winter’s preserved "blackened apples" to give a tarte-tatin-like caramel edge.
The Drink: Like the food, cocktails are inventive, highlighting the flavors of the season, from the obvious to the obscure. The winter twist on an Italian Sgroppino shows off classic seasonal French flavors with a Chantecler apple and sorrel sorbet topped up tableside with Normandy cider and Calvados fizz. More unexpected ingredients include radicchio, chicory, and hay, used to make the soda in the Hay cocktail. Cocktails are low ABV to help carry you through the five-drink tasting (there’s also an N/A option). And while wine clearly isn’t the focus here, there are some French natural wines stashed away in the fridge if you prefer.
The Verdict: There's no shortage of tasting menus in Paris, but right now, none feel as fresh, fun, or friendly as this one. –Nicola Leigh Stewart
→ Comptoir De Vie (2nd arr) • 22-24 Rue Saint-Sauveur • Wed-Sun 18h30-01h • 5 course tasting 90 € per • Book.
PARIS WORK & PLAY LINKS: The Paris checklist industrial complex • Acqua di Parma opens Paris flagship on rue Saint-Honoré • Checking out the redesign at Boutique Maison Baccarat and restaurant • Shopping the Rue de Levis in the 17th • What to wear to a summer wedding.
REAL ESTATE • FOUND Propriété
Let us now return to last week’s real estate stomping grounds of the 16th to check out a just-listed property steps from the Trocadéro, brought to the urgent attention of FOUND Paris. Behold, a glassy triplex with elevator access on the top 5th, 6th, and 7th floors of a 30-unit building built in the 1920s — and according to the listing copy, an apartment “de grandes fêtes parisiennes dans les années 30” (“where grand Parisian parties were held in the 1930s”). It’s got some pretty good balconies to boot for your own roaring parties, this decade or next.
→ Top-floors triplex (16th arr, above) • 3BR/2BA, 229 m2 • Ask: 5.665M € • glassy triplex in historic location • Property tax: 4241 €; annual charges: 12,143 € • Agent: Susana Vasseur, Philppe Menager-Nicolas Hug, sv@menagerhug.fr, +33 67000 6946.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Bistros
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of the best in Paris and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or email found@foundparis.com.
Les Arlots (10th arr), tiny bistro, friendly atmosphere, serving some of the best sausage and mashed potatoes in town
Parcelles (3rd arr, above), old-world charm, contemporary touches, perfectly roasted meats, natural wines
Le Bistro des Tournelles (4th arr), for steak frites and stellar tarte Tatin
Le Maquis (18th arr), tucked away in Montmartre, wide-ranging prix-fixe is one of Paris’s best deals
Chez Georges (2nd arr), chalkboard menu, iconic steak frites, profiteroles
Le Cadoret (19th arr), family-run, neighborhood favorite w/ Belle Époque interior and warm service
Le Cyrano (9th arr), unassuming, vintage charm, impressive selection of wines by the glass
La Bourse et La Vie (2nd arr), Daniel Rose’s elevated takes on classics, like pot-au-feu and duck confit
Café du Coin (11th arr), laid-back bistro with focus on seasonal ingredients and simple, delicious cooking
WORK • Friday Routine
Spring blossoms
VICTOIRE DE POURTALÈS • owner/co-founder • 91530 Le Marais
Neighborhoods you work in: Le Marais/Essonne
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
On Fridays, I work on our art farm, 91530 Le Marais, located less than 50 km from Paris in the lush countryside. As spring arrives, I roll into the weekend windows wide open, sunlight pouring in, and the scent of blossoms in the air. The farm is a space dedicated to exploring life in all its forms — home to exhibitions, agricultural research, and an artist residency. It's where art and nature meet.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Today we’re busy preparing for the upcoming exhibition by Adelaide Cioni, an artist we've been working with for the past three years. Her show opens on April 26, and we’re so excited to share her work with the public. It’s a vibrant, thoughtful project that brings together textile, drawing, and a sense of playful rhythm.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
The area is full of nice places we get to go to for various events. We’ll have lunch in Dourdan — famous for its medieval castle — at the restaurant La Table de Blanche, and will go for a nice walk in the forest. I like to go visit my chef friend James Henry at Le Doyenné. I also like to go to Le Barn for a massage, or the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’ll likely head out for a long walk through the nearby parks and forest trails around the farm — springtime makes everything feel alive. For culture, we love visiting the exhibitions and concerts at the Château de Chamarande. Recently, we hosted a magical performance by the incredible cellist Bruno Philippe amidst the artworks of artist Edgar Sarin.
Any weekend getaways?
Absolutely! No need to fly when the Forest of Fontainebleau is just a short drive away — it’s lush, grand, and endlessly inspiring. For something a bit further, we love visiting Le Cyclop by Niki de Saint Phalle or Jean Cocteau’s house. And when a birthday calls for something special, Venice is a favorite. We were just there for my husband’s birthday, and saw a stunning exhibition made entirely from hemp. The Italian breeze was the perfect gift.
What was your last great vacation?
Argentina. We explored the country on horseback with our children — a wild, unforgettable adventure across the country. We went to the pampa close to Buenos Aires to explore nature with the gauchos and after had some meetings in Buenos Aires with artists and curators. After that we decided to go to the sea and went to José Ignacio, Uruguay, to see different art residencies and the piece by James Turrell which was a real experience. We loved the restaurant Francis Mallmann - El Garzón.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Weldom! It’s my go-to for tools and home essentials — I could spend hours there.
Where are you donating your time or money?
To the farm, to the artists, and to culture. Supporting creative practices — whether through time, space, or resources — is at the heart of everything we do at 91530 Le Marais.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Aqualung
Tyler, The Creator • Accor Arena (Bercy) • Sun @ 19h30 • lower tier U, 79 € per
Morgan Jay • Alhambra (10th arr) • Sat @ 20h • floor, 57 € per
Jethro Tull • L’Olympia (9th arr) • Sat @ 20h • orchestra, 117 € per
GETAWAYS • New York City
Springtime in NYC
This post appeared in a recent issue of FOUND NY. Want more New York City in your life? Subscribe to FOUND NY, with new issues dropping Tuesdays and Fridays.
Recently, the walls seemed to start whispering “Printemps” (in a sultry French accent, of course). The French luxury department store’s New York opening kept cropping up in conversations and publications, and all I could think was that their PR must be working overtime — and whatever they’re doing is working on me. Intrigued by the buzz, I made plans with a friend to visit the store.
Printemps occupies several floors of One Wall Street, an Art Deco skyscraper once the Irving Trust headquarters, now mostly luxury condos. With towering windows and architectural details, the building feels well-suited to the Printemps brand. Inside, shoppers can browse a wide range of high-end fashion, accessories, and beauty products, and pause for a glass of champagne and a bite (caviar, perhaps) at one of the elegant bars within the store.
In its communications, Printemps resists the department store label, preferring the term “project” to describe the opulent, multi-use space, complete with a food program led by Top Chef alum Gregory Gourdet. It’s a curious choice. To me, the idea of a new age of luxury department stores is what makes Printemps exciting.
Growing up, I romanticized stores like these in New York, though I’d missed their heyday. The Thoroughly Modern Millie soundtrack was my childhood obsession, sparking within me a fascination with the Roaring ’20s-era old-world glamour of Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, and Barneys. Printemps feels like a revival of that legacy, merging French luxury with New York history. Elements of the original design have been preserved, such as the landmarked Red Room, home to breathtaking floor-to-ceiling mosaics.
Inside the Red Room, which now houses designer shoes, there was a clear divide between the champagne-sipping shoppers considering high heels and the eager tourists snapping photos. When the Red Room was the Irving Trust reception, only those of a certain class were privy to its grandeur; now, it’s open to all. This is the beauty of a luxury department store; it’s there for those who can afford to bring home a (soon-to-be iconic?) kelly-green Printemps shopping bag and those just there to wander and admire its splendor. –Phoebe Fry
→ Shop: Printemps (New York, NY) • 1 Wall St • Daily 10a-7p.
GETAWAYS LINKS: In the 17th, new 58-room hotel La Fondation opens • New Gulf carrier Riyadh Air, launching later this year, reveals 787 cabin interiors • In Palma, checking in at the remade Hotel Victoria Gran Meliá • Why water is the hottest amenity at luxe hotels.
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