I spent a few days in Paris last week — a quiet escape to recharge, reconnect with art, and find inspiration before the holiday rush. If you’re planning a December trip, here is my curated shortlist of what truly matters.
Where To Stay: Hotel Montalembert
Warm, intimate, understated. It feels like your own Parisian apartment with room service. The ideal base for long walks, thoughtful mornings, and gallery afternoons.
Gifting: Galeries Lafayette
The destination for luxury gifting. The atmosphere, the curation, and the seasonality make it a must. If you're shopping beauty this Christmas, this is where Rodial really shines- and don't forget to browse our curated Christmas Kits while you’re here.
Gifting: Le Bon Marché
The chocolate and confectionery section is a full visual experience — colourful, curated, and truly beautiful for Christmas gifting. Perfect if you want something special, not obvious.
Where To Eat: Le Voltaire
Classic Paris. Elegant, timeless, and always filled with characters worth watching. The perfect setting for a dinner that feels like old-world Paris.
Art & Culture: Alaïa Foundation
Minimal, architectural, precise. A quiet space that lets you breathe and think. It’s the kind of curation that inspires you long after you leave.
Art & Culture: Fondation Cartier
Minimal, architectural, precise. A quiet space that lets you breathe and think. It’s the kind of curation that inspires you long after you leave.
Light, air, openness. Their exhibitions always have a sense of calm and clarity, making it one of the best places in Paris for a mental reset.
Final Note From Maria
December softens Paris. The lights, the early sunsets, the quiet mornings walking between the Left Bank and Saint-Germain. If you need a reset before the year closes, a few days here will do the work.
Maria's Insider Guide to Paris
Step into Paris through Maria’s eyes with this insider guide to the city’s most elegant addresses. From iconic dining spots and luxury stays to hidden cultural gems and beauty essentials, discover the places she returns to time and time again for inspiration, indulgence and effortless Parisian style.
Maria's Boutique London Christmas Edit
This year I’m skipping anything loud, plastic or mass. Christmas, for me, is about atmosphere, candlelight, craftsmanship and slow beauty. These are the only festive spots I care about in London right now:
Christmas in the Cotswolds with Maria
This year I’m spending Christmas at our home in the Cotswolds. If you’re escaping to the Cotswolds this Christmas, here are my five favourite places to stay, eat and wander
