Elite Traveler November-December 2015

elite traveler NOV/DEC 2015 ISSUE 6 133

NEIGHBORHOODWATCH HAUT MARAIS

Sandwiched between the well-loved 4th arrondissement and the gritty, trendy 10th, Haut Marais, is bursting with edgy talent. Given that this is now the home of established labels Isabel Marant and Surface To Air, it's hard to believe it was solid rag-trade until recently. Packed into a few narrow streets are half a dozen galleries. We recommend Galerie Gosserez (galeriegosserez.com) and Gallery S Bensimon (gallerybensimon.com) . S is for Serge of tennis shoe fame.

Spend at least anhour inMaisonPlisson food store, then indulge in exquisite caramels at Jacques Genin

In a vast former wallpaper factory on Boulevard Beaumarchais, concept store Merci (merci-merci.com) has a book-lined tearoom, and a boho selection of fashion and homewares, while the Broken Arm (the-broken-arm.com) combines a cool lunch spot with a store selling Loewe, Marni and Raf Simons. On the neighborhood's northern fringe is curated bookshop LO/A (libraryofarts.com) , which is scholarly yet hip, indulging interests in hip-hop, Italian graffiti and obscure techno. Next door is Small, the store face of theMan/Woman trade show, which showcases cult brands from Japan to Belgium (man-woman.co) . Don’t miss cocktails, Asian-inspired tapas and oysters at Mary Celeste (lemaryceleste.com) , or pithiviers of Challans duck with date and yuzu purée and organic wines at Clown Bar (clown-bar-paris.fr) . Foodies will want at least an hour in Maison Plisson, the new food store for true Parisian gourmets (lamaisonplisson.com) . Finally, indulge in exquisite caramels at Jacques Genin (jacquesgenin.fr) .

From left to right: Jacques Genin at work; outside the Broken Arm; at the Mary Celeste bar; the ornate ceiling at Clown Bar; cheese at Maison Plisson; Galerie Gosserez

Words: Sophie Dening. Photos: Gallery Stock, Foc Kan/WireImage, Alexis Duclos/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images, Courtesy Design Hotels, Alamy, JP Baltel