Once a red-light district, now one of the hippest quartiers in Paris, Pigalle remains a spot for night owls
The seediness may have faded but there’s still plenty going in Pigalle, with an abundance of hipster stores, boulangeries, cocktail bars, bistros and boutique hotels, including Grand Pigalle Experimental.
Part of the Experimental group, which has hotels and bars across Europe and New York (including Henrietta Experimental in Covent Garden, with Jackson Boxer’s Henri inside), the hotel puts you right in the heart of SoPi (aka South Pigalle), with Montmartre and the Sacre Couer within walking distance
The 37-bedroom hotel is set inside a traditional Haussmann-style building. That means that space is limited, so the rooms feature queen rather than king beds, which are plush and comfy nonetheless. There are a couple of larger suites in the eaves of the roof if you want more space and views of some of the most picturesque parts of Paris.
The building’s original mouldings and fixtures have been retained, complemented by modern design touches by Dorothée Meilichzo – we’re talking textured wallpaper,, brass lamps, leopard print carpets and tiled bathrooms, with signature Experimental cocktails in the mini bar and L:A Bruket toiletries in the shower.
Grand Experimental Pigalle is also home to one of Gregory Marchand’s three Frenchie outposts. Frenchie Pigalle is a wine bar with a playful menu that borrows influences from around the world, including dishes like parmesan and espelette pepper gougeres, steak tartare with smoked eel and horseradish; braised hispi with peanut, black garlic and fermented chilli sauce; and lamb ragu pappardelle with olives and confit pappardelle. Marchand’s signature bacon scones with maple syrup and raw cream, which we loved at the Covent Garden outpost of Frenchie, are present and correct, and the cheese plate – particularly the Brillat-Savarin and Comte – is fantastic.
Buzzy by night, it’s bright by day, with a breakfast offering that includes fresh juices; pastries; bread and excellent French butter, and homemade chocolate spread; seasonal fruits; yoghurt; granola; and egg dishes.
It’s worth dropping by Frenchie Pigalle for dinner and drinks if you’re not staying at Grand Pigalle Experimentall but if you plan on exploring the neighbourhood while in Paris, it makes the perfect base.
Key Information
Address | 29 Rue Victor Massé, 75009 Paris, France
For more information | grandpigalle.com
