Designhounds France Part I: An immersion in Parisian art, antiques, design & savoir vivre

This past May, members of Modenus Media’s Designhounds Influencer Network traveled to France for an eight-day artisan + antiques tour in collaboration with the Antiques’ Diva & Co.

Special thanks to Signature Kitchen Suite for supporting this program as official #TrueToFood sponsor. Please follow the hashtag to learn about the many wonderful culinary experiences our team had on this and a recent trip to New York City. Please enjoy the recap of the journey below and, as always, learn more about how to become a member of the Designhounds Influencer Network HERE and for more information on how to become a Designhounds Brand Partner, CLICK HERE.

Day 1: Arrival Day Paris

Headquarters for the 3-day long Paris portion of the trip was the beautiful hotel Plaza Madeleine which sits literally across the street from the famous Eglise de la Madeleine.

To kick off the tour, Designhounds attended a cocktail reception at the beautifully appointed home of local antiques’ dealers Danielle and Jean-Pierre who work as Antique’s Diva guides in Paris. Champagne was flowing, a delicious dinner was served and Toma Haines, CEO of the Antiques’ Diva, gave a talk on how to shop for and ship French antiques.

Day 2: Artisan Tour

We dedicated the second day to a walking tour of artisans along the Seine’s Right and Left Bank and included Declercq Passementerie for an in-depth presentation on the company’s rich history which includes passementerie work for many famous chateaux like Versailles and Fontainebleau. Following Declercq was a visit to Prelle textiles which prides itself on carrying on old Lyonnaise silk weaving traditions.

For lunch, the group stopped at Procope, the oldest cafe in Paris known for its antiques and stylish decor, for a decadent lunch of both traditional and bourgeois French cuisine, a perfect example of #TruetoFood.

That afternoon, the group visited La Soufflerie glass blowers and Alix D’Reynis porcelain for an immersive look at some of the great artisanal craftsmanship of Paris and, of course, lots of shopping along the way. Wouldn’t be Designhounds if there wasn’t shopping!

The day ended in St. Germain-des-Pres with a visit to Italian designer Marta Sala’s apartment and product showplace which was styled in collaboration with British luxury textile and wallpaper maker Fromental. 

Day 3: The last day in Paris at, of course, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen

On the last day in Paris, designhounds visited the Paris Flea Market, where they could explore hundreds of antiques and vintage vendors that ranged from high-end luxury to quirky objects and anything in between. It is important to note that The Antiques’ Diva & Co not only guided the tour but provided detailed on-site assistance with purchasing and shipping, regardless of purchase size, making this not just a fun shopping trip but a truly professional buyer’s tour. 

The day at the Puces was wrapped up with an exclusive cocktail hour inside the Futuro House, an orange UFO-inspired building designed by Matti Suuronen in 1968, because who doesn’t want to end their shopping in a UFO? 

The final stop during the Paris portion of the trip was Brasserie Pastis for a blend of Parisian and Provencale fare, the perfect ending to the Paris portion of the journey that rang in the Provence portion of the tour. 

Stay tuned for Part II on the Designhounds trip to Provence!