South Kensington isn’t merely the heartland of London’s French community – it’s a veritable enclave, with its own lycée, the Lumière cinema at the French Institute ( institut-francais.org.uk ), and four French bookshops (try Au Fil des Mots on Bute Street (+44 (0)20 7589 9400). So you’ll never be far from a Nicolas and Carla exposé or the new Houellebecq. As well as the obligatory branch of Paul (+44 (0)20 7581 6034), there are the bistros of Bute Street, including Chais Nous ( chaisnous.com ) with plasma screens for French sport.
For British food, head to Bumpkin, recently opened at 102 Old Brompton Road (+44 (0)20 7341 0802), or grown-up Launceston Place (+44 (0)20 7937 6912), a smart fine-dining revamp. Boujis, the nightclub beloved of celebs and royals, is at 43 Thurloe Street (+44 (0)20 7584 2000), or there’s the new Ghost Inc cocktail bar on Queensberry Place (+44 (0)20 7589 8979), all graffiti motifs and witty wallpaper.
Looming to the north are the museums: the V&A ( vam.ac.uk ), a cornucopia of artistic inspiration; the Science Museum (science museum.org.uk), guaranteed to enthrall young and old; and the Natural History Museum ( nhm.ac.uk ), where the big Darwin show celebrates the great man’s bicentenary, until 19 April.
Finally, for all-Gallic sensuality, we recommend Parfums de Nicolaï, down the road at Brompton Cross (+44 (0)20 7581 0922) or the new, wonderful La Cave à Fromage on Cromwell Place (+44 (0)20 7378 0788).
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