Paris insider tips with Martial Davo of Hotel La Trémoille 75008 Paris

Come with us behind closed doors to meet the secret keepers of Paris.

You will have met dozens on your travels through France, and all across the globe, though perhaps you never noticed.

Mais bien sûr – they noticed you: certain secrets they discover will always remain untold, while others beg to be shared… but only with a special few.

Meet Martial Davo, concierge at La Trémoille. He shares tales of daily life at a luxury hotel in the French capital, as well as his top Paris insider tips and traps.

What is the most frequently asked question by guests of La Trémoille and what is the answer?

There are so many. It depends if the clients are there for business or pleasure. If they are there for work, we assist them with plane tickets most of the time. By contrast, holiday makers, those who come to discover Paris, ask us anything and everything – what you can see in Paris, how to get to Versailles or how to get to Normandy.

What is the one place you think our readers must visit in or around the 8ème arrondissement?

We are beside the quartier of the Champs Elysées, so you must see this street, which is one of the longest avenues in Europe. At the top of the 8^th arrondissement there are lots of little intimate museums like Jacquemart-André. It’s little places like these that international visitors don’t know very well.

What is the one dish you think is imperative for our readers to try while in Paris and where would you recommend they go to do this?

I personally love the cuisine from the South West. So cassoulet etc. I also love Mediterranean food.

I assume you have long shifts that finish quite late. What is your favourite place to eat and another to drink after a long day at work?  (anywhere in Paris)

I really like places that are a bit trendy, for example Pershing Hall. It’s a magical place. When the weather is good they have a courtyard and they can have the roof open. They also have a 30 metre high green wall. They make fairly light food, ‘basically-French’ with a little touch of Asian cuisine. They also have a bar with lots of good ambiance on the first floor.

What is your favourite day trip outside Paris?

Depending on what you’re after, there is the Château de Versailles, the Monet house and also the beaches of Normandy. We have a lot of Americans who want to travel to Normandy because they have a grandfather who was buried there during the war. I try to go at least once a year. It’s a time in our history that we should remember in order to recognise those who came to help us. It’s very moving.

Merci beaucoup, Martial, for sharing your Paris insider tips and favourite places with My French Life™! Read the first part of our interview with Martial Davo here.