LILY COLLINS ON PARIS
Much like her alter ego Emily Cooper, the actress is enchantée by life in the French capital
The Emily in Paris cast and crew are like family. We get to run around the city together, seeing all the sights and going to some incredible locations. Paris has embraced the show in such a magical way. I usually stay in an apartment when I’m filming. If I’m only here for a visit, I’ll spend the night at Le Bristol because it’s so central. That way, I can fit in all of the hotspots in a couple of days. I love the area around the Canal Saint-Martin. Whenever I’m there, I go to this coffee shop called Residence Kann, which is a real winner – it does great Scandi-style breakfasts. There’s a fashion store on Rue de Marseille called Centre Commercial that sells lovely eclectic clothes, and they have a childrenswear branch round the corner where
I buy stuff for all my friends’ kids.
It’s easy to pass the time in Paris. La Samaritaine, the shopping centre that reopened in 2021, is beautiful to wander around, and I also always go into the concept store Merci to check out what’s new. I love going to museums – especially the Musée de l’Orangerie – and, during the summer, to the funfair in the Tuileries Garden.
For coffee and snacks, I’ll go to Saint Pearl in
the 6th arrondissement. I’ll eat out at Ralph’s, the restaurant in the Ralph Lauren store on Boulevard Saint-Germain – it was in the first season of Emily in
Paris, and it’s still a staple. Or Ashley [Park, her co-star] and I will hang out at a place called Loulou, which has outdoor seating right by the Tuileries.
Scootering over the city’s bridges is one of my
favourite things to do. I always stand on my husband’s [the director Charlie McDowell] because I don’t trust myself on my own! Otherwise, I’ll probably be walking our rescue dog, Redford, a terrier mix – it’s a great way to see the sights and get my step count in. When I’m in Paris, I dress for walking. Usually, I’ll put on jeans, loafers, an oversize button-up blazer and comfortable shoes. I’ll bring my Panthère de Cartier handbag, because I need something that fits a brush – being on a scooter with these bangs means my hair turns into a bit of a mess! I’ll also carry sunscreen, hand sanitiser, a good lip balm (I use Burt’s Bees) and my Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge lipstick. The French do beauty really well: they have clean skin, throw on a red lip and then they’re done for the day. That’s the Parisian vibe.