Le Bar - InterContinental Paris Le Grand

Just beyond the theatrical sweep of the Opéra Garnier, Le Bar offers the useful sensation that Paris has briefly lowered its volume. The room is proudly old-school: deep mahogany, Chesterfield armchairs, upholstered sofas and light soft enough to improve both the mood and the company. Its history is not decorative trivia. In 1904, the Grand Hôtel’s head bartender Franck Newman created the Original Dry Martini here in homage to Sarah Bernhardt, and a Martini remains the natural first order. The list extends to signature cocktails, serious whiskies and grand Champagnes, with light snacks when a drink begins to resemble dinner. From Thursday to Saturday, a pianist plays jazz standards, adding atmosphere without turning the room into a performance. This is an excellent address before the opera, after the department stores or whenever a business meeting deserves better furniture. Sit deep in an armchair and let the brass, wood and discreet service do their work. The bar is grand, certainly, but its real luxury is intimacy in one of the busiest parts of Paris.