As a little girl, it was patently obvious, at least to me, that the book characters Eloise from the Plaza and Madeline from Paris were best friends. And now as a grownup girl, I am certain that the next time Eloise is in Paris, Madeline will take her to meet Monsieur Bleu at the Palais de Tokyo.
Eloise and her opulent Plaza digs never quite did it for me, though, because I thought the ultimate in understated chic was Madeline’s spartan Parisian Catholic boarding school room (who can forget the two rows of orderly beds and those tall ceilings?). In Monsieur Bleu (named after a fictional character), the hit restaurant of the Paris season this year, architect Joseph Dirand combines minimalist details with luxurious materials and creates a heady mix on a grand scale—the perfect setting for an Eloise and Madeline rendezvous before their viewing of the latest exhibition at the mecca of the Parisian modern and contemporary art scene, the Palais de Tokyo
Unless otherwise noted, photography by Adrien Dirand via Yatzer.
Above: The designer of glamorous boutiques around the world (Chloé in Paris, Alexander Wang in Beijing, and Pucci in New York, to name a few), French architect Joseph Dirand uses the large scale of the Palais de Tokyo built in 1937 to set a glamorous scene (it's the place to be seen if you're in Paris this summer).
Above: Dirand uses minimal detailing as a framework for a wealth of luxurious materials.
Above: The architect layers a bright green velvet on a dark green marble to create the banquette seating.
Above: The minimally detailed slab of marble door frame almost goes unnoticed and yet its presence is felt.
Above: The layering of space creates interesting views.
Above: Intimate seating areas are carved out of the grand space.
Above: A dash of gold adds to the glamor while warming up the palette.
Above: With a view of the Eiffel Tower from the terrace, there's no question of where you are. Photograph via Joseph Dirand.
For more places to visit in and around Paris, see our series on Travels with an Editor: Paris and visit our Paris City Guide.
See location of Monsieur Bleu and Palais de Tokyo in map below:
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