The City of Paris According to Coco Chanel

No other person has personified being a Parisian quite like Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel. She's an iconic revolutionary, a stylish one at that, who changed the way women dressed and helped make fashion the industry it is today. Her contributions to fashion remain relevant to this day, decades after her death, and about a century since she opened her eponymous line. But beyond her illustrious career, she was a true Parisian, enjoying the best that the city has to offer and lived a luxurious lifestyle. She was often seen among the crème de la crème—most of whom she dressed—in many of the city's hotspots!

 

The Ritz Paris

Where do you think an icon of Coco Chanel's stature would live in Paris? In The Ritz Hotel, of course! The iconic hotel is famous for many things, not the least of which having been the home of the historic grand couturier. It's here where she would retreat after making her couture collections in her studio at 31 rue Cambon. It's also here where she sometimes welcomed guests, luxuriate in the finest things in life, and even had rendezvous with all sorts of men. Today, the Coco Chanel suite still features her own furniture, having become more of an exhibit than an actual hotel room. 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

 

Place Vendôme

And since she lived in The Ritz Hotel, Coco Chanel also went to Place Vendôme a lot too. She would frequently walk along the plaza, showing off her signature Parisian style (of which she actually defined), and visited the many luxurious shops lined the area. It's even said that her iconic Chanel N°5 perfume bottled is shaped similarly to that of the plaza's angular shape. So it's not really surprising that her brand eventually set up shop here, as well as a few other fashion labels. Today, it's become one of the more upscale parts of Paris. 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

 

Angelina

How do you know that Coco Chanel was a true Parisian? Well, not only did she have major contributions to Paris fashion, but she was also into sweets, just like any other Parisian! And her go-to place for them was none other than Angelina. It may have been that because the designer was a huge patron of this café that it rose to prominence. Chic and sophisticated, it's easy to see why she loved it here. Today, it still stands as one of the finest patisseries and cafés in the city, offering delicious macarons and the perfect place for a nice cup of coffee! 

Source: Angelina

 

Le Grand Vefour

Apart from sweets, Coco Chanel was also into the finest food in Paris. One of her usual dinner spots was the famous Le Grand Vefour. Here, she ate authentic French cuisine made by the most talented chefs of her time, all while socializing with her elite company of friends and clients. It's easy to imagine the icon, decked out in her own creations, dining by candlelight in this Belle Epoque-style restaurant. These days, the place remains so popular that it's almost impossible to get a seat here. You have to reserve in advance, just like what Emily Cooper tried to do in the Netflix series, "Emily in Paris." 

Source: Le Grand Vefour

 

Le Theatres des Champs-Elysées

Coco Chanel was a fan of theater. She enjoyed opera, she relished ballet and often saw the latest plays in Paris. In fact, because of her love of theater, she even had an affair with the famous Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. So it's no surprise that one of her favorite places in Paris is a theater, specifically Le Theatres des Champs-Elysées. The Champs-Elysées area itself is one of the more upscale in the French capital among its many districts, so Chanel was likely hanging out around here often already. And by night, she'd probably dress up in her iconic LBD, a string of pearls, and enjoy some live theater here! 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

 

31 rue Cambon

Of course, this list won't be complete without the designer's actual atelier and her brand's headquarters on 31 rue Cambon. Because her label has become one of the biggest and most popular in fashion today, the budling itself has attracted many tourists. Along with Christian Dior's Avenue Montaigne atelier, 31 rue Cambon is one of few fashion studios whose fame rivals those of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and many other tourist spots in Paris. It helps that Chanel's branding often featured the iconic building as well, reminiscing the great designer's influential life for all the world to see. 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

 

If there's one Parisian icon you ought to follow, it's Coco Chanel! Not only was she one of, if not the most influential fashion designer in history, she also knew what some of the finest spots in Paris were! Her life in the French capital was mostly all about visiting the best places in the city! 

You can also live as luxuriously as Coco Chanel did if you chose a fine luxury rental to stay in Paris! There are plenty to choose from, many of which are near some of the places on this list!