Paris

By Kate Betts

"I like places that tell the real stories of Paris," says Christian Louboutin, sitting in his cluttered office on the rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau. "Hotel Drouot, for example, is a place where you see people selling their estate, and when they do, you see really their whole life. It's not just an auction house with glamour sales of famous paintings." Among his other usual haunts: a gardening bookshop, a restaurant for the blind and a very reliable Parisian shirtmaker. Here's a peek inside the little black book of one of fashion's greatest footwear designers:

RESTAURANTS & BARS

L'Epi d'Or, 25 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (33-1-42-36-38-12; epidor.fr). For real French food that is good and not too stuffy.

Dans le Noir, 51 rue Quincampoix (33-1-42-77-98-04). A fascinating place where you eat in the dark and you experience what it is like to be blind. The food is very good.

Bar at the Hotel Normandy, 256 rue St. Honore. I love the faux-English-bar ambiance with the tartan carpet. It has very good cocktails.

Flora Danica, 142 Avenue des Champs-Elysees (33-1-44-13-86-26). If you are in a super-lazy mood and you go to the movies on the Champs Elysees, the food is very light, and the place is open on Sundays--a rarity in Paris.

ART & EXHIBITS

Hotel Drouot, 9 rue Drouot (33-1-48-00-20-20). This is a true Parisian auction house. It's very moving when you see an entire estate for sale--from paintings to dish towels. Plus, it's really a very wide range of social classes all mixed together.

Maison Europeenne de la Photographie, 5/7 rue de Fourcy (33-1-44-78-75-00; mep-fr.org) It has great exhibits, but it's not very well known.

SHOPPING

Charvet, 28 Place Vendome (33-1-42-60-30-70). There is nothing better than shopping for men's ties, shirts and cashmere here. The colors are amazing and, by the way, so are the socks.

La Maison Rustique, 26 rue Jacob (33-1-43-25-67-00). If you are interested in gardens and plants, this is a great bookstore. It's also a terrific place to find gifts.

ANOTHER THING I LOVE TO DO

To rent a bicycle at Versailles and tour the gardens. Astel (33-1-39-66-97-66) has three different rental locations. The best one is at the Grille de la Reine. My favorite place to go in the park is the Trianon Palace and gardens on a beautiful day.