Reason 1- Vivienne Forever
An undisputed icon of the punk movement at its most stylish, Vivienne Westwood has been shaking up fashion for 50 years. Following the tribute documentary by Letmiya Sztaltryd and Jean-Marie Sztalryd, released on Arte - Vivienne Westwood, Do it yourself - the Musée des Tissus de Lyon is paying her a unique tribute with a wow retrospective, running until January 17.
From her beginnings on King's Road to the runway, from her passion for 18th and 19th century costumes to her offbeat take on the British aristocracy and traditions, the 200 pieces brought together here offer a total immersion into the world and creative process of this designer, free from codes. Costumes, accessories, shoes, objets d'art, paintings, and drawings, in five parts, bear witness to the chronology and diversity of her work. This exhibition is illustrated by the expert eye of Lee Price, an English collector based in Lyon and a former collaborator of the former schoolteacher who became one of the most irreverent figures in fashion.
Reason 2 - TO, the new Franco-Japanese sensation
This is the newest addition to the bustling canal. The address looks like a table dressed to the nines like a creative director's, minimalist and cool enough to surprise with top-notch dishes: be warned, this is a real little Franco-Japanese gastronomic experience.
A first lounge with graphic chic that contrasts with the bohemian atmosphere outside; further on, a Tokyo-style pocket bar for a nighttime dinner for two; and essential in the dining room: the exact science of the Franco-Japanese Ken Nanaumi, who knows cooking and sake like the back of his hand. At the piano, the excellent Ryo Miyazaki - ex-Saturn - who unfolds his menu like delicate little haikus... saturated sea bass donburi prepared chi-nuki style, corn and foie gras soup from Metzger, salmon carpaccio marinated in Kuro Sato and, unmissable for dessert, this melting, crunchy and vaporous cloud of dark chocolate. Still secret? The classy bar and smoking room converted into a speakeasy in the basement, opposite the open kitchens.
From €25 to €29 for lunch, in seven stages in the evening. 34 rue Beaurepaire, 75010 Paris. Tel: 01 40 37 39 12.
Reason 3 - A weekend in the forest
It's the crazy project of a busy Parisian at the head of a reconstituted tribe of seven children: to take to the countryside and, why not, reconcile her passion - contemporary art - with a vital need - to reconnect with nature. By car, a 2.5-hour drive from the ring road.
A 300-hectare forest in the heart of the Châteaux of the Loire Valley, around fifteen works of art scattered throughout the countryside, and 18 lodges on stilts, with ultra-contemporary architecture... that's the starting pitch. Upon arrival, the immersion is total, and it's a fitting expression: each cabin, decorated by an artist, reveals its own energy. Charming and protective in the one designed by artist Charlotte Perriant, in the shade of a large, protective oak tree. Sunny and masculine in the one named Lucien, in homage to Serge Gainsbourg, with a vinyl turntable and unobstructed views of the hornbeams. In any case, you can get a massage "at home" to the sounds of the forest, or splash around in the jacuzzi while waiting for dinner and a glimpse of a wild boar that has also come to feed with its five young piglets. Tomorrow, we'll head out for a "forest bath" with the sylvotherapist and fill up on negative ions, which have a direct effect on the nervous system and stress management. Before we hop on our bikes and explore this private arboretum. We're already feeling better...
From €285 for the lodge with breakfast. Adults only. loirevalleylodges.com
