Le Dome du Marais – Apothecary meets Shabby Chic meets Art Deco
It would seem that Springtime draws me out and exploring the cafés of Paris. I think the easing of chilly weather makes me feel more adventurous and I am inclined to exit the comfort of home for the chairs, benches and divans at various unexplored cafés around town. Although it isn’t that difficult to entice me outdoors given the many attractive café establishments in the City of lights.
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I spent a little time recently in two that I had never discovered before…and all in the same afternoon.
The first one is a darling little spot in the Marais with three different ambiances to offer. Le Dôme du Marais, a place filled with romantic nostalgia. The entrance has a mysterious vibe to it, and was a divine spot to sit and enjoy the apothecary/vintage scientist type of decorative objects in the large glass window cabinet they have dominating the area. I was meeting Quinn of Quinntessential Style soon to be Quinntessences.com who was visiting on her travels around the globe, and happily snapped photographs while I waited for my dear friend to arrive.
After a few long tight hugs to try to make up for a year of absence, we ventured into the pretty tea room filled with the chirping of little love birds and the zenith light of the Parisian sky.
We had our choice of the lovely seats being that we were some of the very few patrons enjoying the atmosphere. (Maybe I shouldn’t be blogging about it so it stays that way…), Here the seats are comfortable, pastel and pretty; and the light that enters during the day is sublime and gentle upon the décor that is a very Parisian version of “shabby chic” and has nothing shabby about it. With the abundance of plants and foliage included in the decorum, the absence of traffic noise plus the two little feathered friends in a dainty bird cage on one side of the room, we felt like we could almost have been in a posh countryside garden. It’s fresh, it’s romantic (in a 19th century kind of way), it’s light, it’s calm…it’s perfect.
We had a wonderful glass of iced tea and an afternoon ice cream snack while we chatted for a good hour and a half. We had quite a bit to catch up on. And the time passed like a lazy Summer afternoon… I think this will become my chill spot for the été 2014.
We also got a peak into the dining room that was all set up and ready for hungry clients in the evening. It has a completely different style than the tea room. The lines are straighter, and it leans towards a more Art Deco type of inspiration, but one with a modern influence. Plush dark velvet on the seats, contrasting light hues on the walls, and, checkered and golden accents adjacent to sculpted cornices that give a classical look to the structure of the dining hall. The entire room is crowned by the gorgeous glass dome ceiling that gives this establishment its name. It is not only quite impressive, it is historic. The glass and metal dome that sits there now dates back to the Eiffel period in Paris, but a glass domes has existed at this spot since the 18th century.
If not for anything else, I must return here to have dinner so I can see this room in the evening light and to test the cuisine of chef Christian Leclere. Head there for tea and ice cream in the afternoon…. Stay for dinner, return for the light that baths you in calm and bien être. Or, if you have the means, host a private event in this incredible space.
Le Dôme du Marais
53bis rue des Francs-Bourgeois – 75004 Paris
Email them : contact@ledomedumarais.fr
Check back on pretemoiparis.com in a few days to read about the second café I explored!
Gorgeous! Almost worth a trip to Paris 😉
It’s such a gorgeous setting although I ate dinner there close to December time last year and the food and service was really not that good. I was with my parents and because we were english I felt like we were shunned a little. The food may sound great but there was really nothing to it or anything amazing about it. But perhaps I should give it another try. Any one else have any other thoughts on this place?
Oh that’s disappointing Paul. Thank you for sharing. XOX