When it was built in 1898, the Ritz Paris set a new standard for luxury. With lavish décor, phones and bathrooms in every room, and an exclusive location in Paris’s 1st arrondissement, the Ritz attracted royalty in its early days and celebrities in more modern times. In 2016, it reopened after a massive four-year renovation that made the hotel even more Ooh la la worthy.
If your dream Paris experience is to live like a modern-day Marie Antoinette, add brunch at this iconic hotel to your bucket list. With three options—ranging from a traditional menu of eggs and French pastries to the “gastronomic orchestra” at Salon d’Été—you can’t go wrong at this Paris institution.
Photography by Ritz Paris
Feast for the Senses
The weekend brunch at Salon d’Été will exceed any expectations you have of weekend brunch. Picture buffets with an array of artfully designed mini dishes from all over the world (sushi, pasta, mezzes), traditional French specialties like ratatouilles, and decadent displays of pastries and cheeses. This high dollar experience (160 euros) also includes a glass of Réserve Ritz Brut champagne. One of the coolest things about Salon d’Été is that it spills out into the Versaille-inspired Grand Jardin, a bucolic 21,500-square-foot garden in the heart of Paris.
The less expensive brunch options are just as fancy, like the a la carte menu at the restaurant L’Espadon, which, by the way, happens to boast two Michelin stars. The intricate pastries and savory bites are as beautiful as they are tasty. For the most casual option, the Ritz Bar offers a “classic” menu (65 euros), which features pastry-covered pâté along with breakfast staples like pancakes and eggs.
Storied History
The Ritz was truly built with a king-like refinement and prestige reminiscent of Versaille, which is why it attracted notables like Ernest Hemingway, Ella and Scott Fitzgerald, and Cole Porter. Coco Chanel loved the Ritz so much that she lived at the there for more than 30 years, earning her a suite in her namesake.
The 2016 upgrade still maintained the 18th-century French aesthetic while adding the romantic garden, a Chanel spa (the first of its kind), an underground tunnel for paparazzi-avoiding guests, and many more modernized features that re-established its spot on the list of Paris’s most luxurious properties.
Credits:
Photography by Ritz Paris
