A Long Weekend in Paris: A Guide to Fashion, Hotels, Dining, and Culture
If you’re thinking of spending a long weekend in Paris, make it fashionable. Spring and early summer bring the city to life — from world-class exhibitions to elegant hotel lobbies, quiet perfume shops to celebrated restaurants. Whether you’re here to browse, to be seen, or simply to enjoy a slower pace in style, Paris offers all the right ingredients. Here's a suggested itinerary and inspiration, drawn from recent visits and personal favourites.
What to See on a Long Weekend in Paris
Paris rarely needs a schedule to feel fashionable. On a long weekend, the city works best when you treat fashion as something absorbed gradually, through neighbourhoods, rituals, and small detours, rather than a series of ticketed stops.
Begin with the streets. The grand Haussmann boulevards around Boulevard Haussmann and Rue Saint-Honoré still define Paris at scale, with flagship boutiques and historic maisons setting the tone. For something more personal, spend time in Le Marais, where independent designers, concept stores, and well-chosen vintage shops sit side by side. It is less formal, more exploratory, and well suited to an unstructured afternoon.
You could easily spend several hours inside La Samaritaine, and quite a lot of money if you are not careful. Owned by LVMH, it sits somewhere between department store, design statement, and cultural landmark. The restored Art Nouveau and Art Deco interiors are reason enough to go in, even if you leave empty-handed.
What makes Samaritaine particularly suited to a long weekend is its breadth. Fashion, beauty, accessories, and home sit alongside cafés and views across the Seine, allowing you to dip in and out rather than commit to a full shopping expedition. It works just as well as a place to browse, regroup, or take a break from walking, especially if you are moving between the Louvre, Pont Neuf, and the Right Bank.
Coffee is part of the rhythm. Fashion in Paris is often taken in between appointments rather than during them. A quiet café stop near Place Vendôme or Saint-Honoré offers a chance to slow down and people watch, which is often where the city reveals itself best. Or you can enjoy a Dior themed coffee at La Galerie Dior will be good in any weather.
Fashion, Design, and Exhibitions: What to Look Out For
Rather than chasing specific shows, it pays to keep an eye on where Paris consistently does fashion well.
The Grand Palais and Petit Palais regularly host major fashion and design exhibitions, often with generous spaces that suit couture, jewellery, and archival work. The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris is another reliable stop, especially if you are interested in process, sketching, and the quieter side of design.
For something less formal, it is always worth paying attention to hotel lobbies. Paris hotels frequently act as informal galleries, and you do not need to be a guest to experience them.
If you are anywhere near Madeleine or Faubourg Saint-Honoré, it is worth stepping inside Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg, even if you are not staying there. The reception and lobby spaces often host small installations or design-led displays connected to craftsmanship, materials, and the decorative arts. It is a subtle reminder that fashion in Paris is not confined to museums.
Beyond Fashion, Without Leaving the Thread
Not everything needs to be fashion-led to belong in a fashion-focused weekend. When the tailoring and technique begin to blur together, exhibitions with a strong sense of colour or form can offer a useful contrast. Museums like the Musée du Luxembourg often provide that shift, keeping the visual interest high without breaking the overall mood of the trip.
Where to Stay for your Parisian Long Weekend
If you’re in Paris for a fashionable long weekend, your base should reflect the mood. We recommend staying close to Madeleine, Place Vendôme, or Faubourg Saint-Honoré — neighbourhoods where breakfast blends into boutique visits, and culture is always close.
Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg (15 Rue Boissy d’Anglas) — Refined, discreet, and ideally located. The lobby often hosts curated exhibitions like L’Art et la Matière, and the rooms are designed with couture in mind. If you’re booking a suite, try the Opera Suite. Read our full review.
Hôtel Madeleine Plaza (33 Place de la Madeleine) — We’ve moved our Parisiene base here as it feels more like living in Paris than the grander Softel. Read our review here. https://www.hotel-madeleine-paris.fr/en/
Hôtel Lumen Paris Louvre (15 Rue des Pyramides) — Stylish and more budget-friendly, compact and close to the action. It's been a while since we last stayed but the fond memories remain, and the reviews look good. https://hotel-lumenparis.com/en/
For something grand...Hôtel de Crillon at Place de la Concorde offers old-world grandeur. Or stay among the boutiques at the Mandarin Oriental on Rue Saint-Honoré for contemporary calm and five-star discretion.
Where to Eat in Paris
While Paris is littered with good restaurants, we’ve curated this list to suit the tone of the weekend — elegant, stylish, and centred around the Madeleine and Faubourg Saint-Honoré districts.
La Maison de la Truffe (19 Place de la Madeleine) — Earthy luxury, perfect for a first-night dinner. Read more. (www.maison-de-la-truffe.com/)
Café Ruc (159 Rue Saint-Honoré) — Classic, casual, and perfect for people-watching. (https://caferuc.com)
Le Train Bleu — Belle Époque grandeur at Gare de Lyon. A beautiful restaurant with great food and service to match. Read our review. (letrainbleu.com)
Le Cinq (31 Avenue George V) — Michelin-starred dining just off the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Read our review. (fourseasons.fr)
Two more we have our eye on for the next long weekend...
Francette — Dining beneath the Eiffel Tower (1 Port de Suffren). (website)
Perruche (2 Rue du Havre) — A rooftop escape with bright decor and views across the city. (website)
Making your Long Weekend in Paris - Unforgettable
We loved our recent long weekend, exploring a city that we know so well, yet finding ever more fashion and culture right in front of us.
After what felt like a long winter, the rhythm of the city changes in spring, with soft light, new exhibitions, and the quiet elegance of everyday style. So whether you're stepping into a boutique, sitting down to breakfast, or simply wandering between gallery and garden, there’s beauty to be found in the detail. We hope you have enjoyed our guide and your next weekend in Paris.