New Things to See and Do in Paris

However often you visit, there is always something new going on in the City of Light

Related articles: The Best of the New in Paris
12 Fashionable Cocktail Bars in Paris

SHOPPING

Centre Commercial, Rue Madame

Riding on the huge success of their Canal Saint-Martin flagship store and kids’ boutique, Centre Commercial’s third branch, on Saint-Germain’s fashionable rue Madame, makes fair trade more stylish than ever. The minimalist boutique’s highly curated selection of sustainable and cruelty-free international fashion brands and accessories for men and women includes such sought-after items as Veja non-leather sneakers, Maison Fabre gloves, Le Sellier bags, and fabulous women’s separates and lingerie from the French label Roseanna, amid dozens more. www.centrecommercial.cc

Officine Universelle Buly 1803, Grand Café Tortoni

The second outpost of the most winsome of Parisian skincare brands, Buly 1803’s all-natural skin and beauty products eschew chemical additives– including alcohol – for a light yet lingering scent.There are also cold-pressed oils, clays and loose herbs to create your own concoctions and pot-pourri. Après-shop, grab a coffee from the boutique’s authentic 17th-century Italian café counter. www.buly1803.com

CHOCOLATE

Rrraw Cacao Factory

Welcome to Paris’s only producer of healthy raw chocolate, created from bean to bar in a heatless process that leaves nutrients and flavours intact. Rrraw’s truffles, covered nuts and tablets, all made with organic beans from around the world, are a revelation. Organic, vegan, gluten-free and ethically sourced, you can indulge in these virtuous, wickedly delicious chocolates guilt-free. See the chocolates being made and stock up at the new rue de Mulhouse factory. www.rrraw.fr

La Chocolaterie Cyril Lignac, Saint-Germain

Michelin-starred chef, pastry afficionado,TV personality and cookbook author Cyril Lignac has a second outpost in Saint-Germain, dedicated to chocolate in every form: tablets from around the world, covered marshmallows, cakes, tarts, cookies and chocolat chaud. www.lachocolateriecyrillignac.com

A FLYING VISIT

Ballon de Paris

Fancy seeing the city from an entirely new perspective? How about hopping on a balloon and floating 150 metres above the capital? At 30 metres high and 25.5 metres in diameter, this is the largest captive balloon in the world and it can carry up to 30 passengers at a time, as well as all the instruments required to measure air quality above the city. www.ballondeparis.com

Flight Experience Paris

The Flight Experience flight simulator puts you in control of a Boeing 737 with a professional co-pilot. Boasting high-definition graphics, realistic engine noise and a vibrating cockpit, this is as good as flight simulation gets. And there is room in the cockpit for three friends or family members as you head for the airport of your choice. paris.flightexperience.fr

MUSEUMS

Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme

The Museum of Jewish Art and History is celebrating its 20th birthday with a year-long Tribute to the Donors alongside its busy programme of exhibitions, installations, performances, discussions and guided tours. www.mahj.org

Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine

If you want to expand your knowledge and understanding of architecture in France, and beyond, this is the place to start. With notable permanent collections as well as exhibitions and events, the Cité Chaillot, as it is known, is also an educational centre. www.citedelarchitecture.fr

Musée du quai Branly

The Musée du quai Branly focuses on the art and civilisation of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Inaugurated by Jacques Chirac in 2006, it attracts one and a half million visitors a year, making it already one of the most important centres of its kind in the world. www.quaibranly.fr

Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

Inaugurated in 1967, this museum in the 3rd arrondissement houses art of all forms, but always relating to the hunting of animals and the environments in which they are hunted. Permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and a well-supported cultural programme. www.chassenature.org

Le Grand Palais

The Grand Palais is hosting Michael Jackson: On the Wall, a tribute to his life and influence, explored through music, dance, video and fashion. November 23, 2018
– February 17, 2019. www.grandpalais.fr

From France Today magazine