Baccarat, the famed producer of crystal goodies, has opened a new "crystal palace" in Paris. Housed in a 19th-century hôtel particulier, formerly the home of countess Marie-Laure de Noailles, the new boutique's interior was designed by the enfant terrible of contemporary design, Philippe Starck.
Spanning 3,000 square metres, the space includes a ground-floor boutique characterized by the contrast between its crude, unfinished walls and its sumptuous crystalline furnishings. Upstairs is a museum that pays homage to the company's history, as well as a chic restaurant. The Maison Baccarat is in the city's 16th arrondissement at 11 Place des États-Unis.
For more information, call 33 (40) 221100 or visit www.baccarat.f. globetrotter@globeandmail.ca
