Baccarat has partnered with celebrated Monégasque chef Alain Ducasse to craft a sumptuous dining experience, comprising a restaurant, bar and ballroom, at the French crystal brand’s historic Paris mansion in the 16th arrondissement – once the home of the Viscountess Marie-Laure de Noailles, a key figure in 20th-century art patronage.
Ducasse Baccarat, Paris: raise a glass
‘I aim to create a realm of imagination, re-imagination and recreation,’ Ducasse tells Wallpaper*. To bring this vision to life, he partnered with French sculptor and architect Jean-Guillaume Mathiaut. Blessed by Philippe Starck, one of Baccarat’s key collaborators, Mathiaut embraced Ducasse’s concept and proposed a bold idea: to adorn the walls of the main dining room with wooden shelves styled like a cabinet of curiosities, which beautifully contrast with the room’s neo-classical elements. This interplay of collision and harmony, a recurring theme throughout the restaurant, is further accentuated by elegant Baccarat crystal pieces – spot the ‘Sora’ lantern, a collaboration with Eriko Horiki, in the restaurant’s private dining area, the chef’s table.
This setting serves as an ideal backdrop for diners to engage all five senses while exploring the dishes on offer. ‘What we present must ignite the imagination,’ says Christophe Saintagne, the chef who collaborates closely with his mentor, Ducasse. Expect unconventional and visually stunning dishes, such as crunchy oysters or lobster in shades of blue, white and pink – Ducasse designed some of the recipes inspired by his personal Baccarat dishware collection.
Homard bleu, blanc, rose
Huître croustillante
At the adjacent bar, Midi-Minuit, the contemporary interior features cocktails inspired by signature Baccarat glasses. One highlight is the light Crystal Tonic, which includes gin, Aquavit, lime juice, tonic syrup and olive brine. The cocktail is served in the brand’s Harcourt glass, accompanied by heaping Kakigori (Japanese-style shaved ice). Behind the bar, a dimly lit octagonal-shaped wine-tasting cellar is adorned with a painted canvas by Gérard Garouste and illuminated by a chandelier designed by Jaime Hayon.
Midi-Minuit bar interior
The Ball Room remains flamboyantly decorated with classic woodwork and beautiful frescoes. Once a hotspot for surrealist gatherings, including the screening of Luis Buñuel’s avant-garde 1930s film The Golden Age, today, the venue now hosts modern encounters and exchanges. An exciting cultural programme featuring concerts, book signings, and live performances is on the horizon, with details to be announced soon. Each event will be complemented by delicious food and drink offerings from the Ducasse Baccarat kitchen.
The Ball Room
Ducasse Baccarat is located at 11 Pl. des États-Unis, 75116 Paris, France, ducasse-baccarat-paris.com
-
Designer Marta de la Rica’s elegant Madrid studio is full of perfectly-pitched contradictionsThe studio, or ‘the laboratory’ as de la Rica and her team call it, plays with colour, texture and scale in eminently rewarding ways
-
‘Nothing just because it’s beautiful’: Performance artist Marina Abramović on turning her hand to furniture designMarina Abramović has no qualms about describing her segue into design as a ‘domestication’. But, argues the ‘grandmother of performance art’ as she unveils a collection of chairs, something doesn’t have to be provocative to be meaningful
-
A local’s guide to Los Angeles by defiant artist Fawn RogersOregon-born, LA-based artist Fawn Rogers gives us a personal tour of her adopted city as it hosts its sixth edition of Frieze
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Night at the museum: the best art hotels to book nowSleep amid surrealists at London’s Broadwick Soho, or wake up to contemporary favourites at New Hotel in Athens – indulge in an immersive art hotel experience
-
Shop hyperlocal gifts, from Harlem to Hawaii, at R Finds’ global online storeWallpaper* goes shopping with R Finds, Renaissance Hotels’ digital marketplace, which connects travellers – and armchair travellers – with local makers and stores, one gift at a time
-
This Italian Bistrot in Paris offers all-year-round ‘felicità’A diminutive of the Italian word for family, Miglia is a cosy trattoria radiating warmth, friendliness, and traditional flavours
-
Ski in, ski out at Courchevel’s hot new piste-side dinerLoulou, the new Courchevel restaurant inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s muse, is playfully elevated by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s pop art branding
-
The cosiest alpine retreats to book in EuropeBrowse the Wallpaper* edit of European alpine retreats where to fully embrace the ski season
-
First look at Maison 3, an eclectic new Parisian bar for sleepless nightsMaison 3 is an enigmatic space with a sensual atmosphere brought to life by the French studio Les Beaux Jours Architectures
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from a bijou addition to the London hotel scene to a lush safari adventure in South Africa
