Paris' Montmartre Recaptures Glory Days

Located in a sparse shopping space that would make Le Corbusier proud, the quirky fashion boutique stocks headliner labels like Lagerfeld, Comme des Garcons, Marc Jacobs, Maison Martin Margiela and APC. An on-site gallery attracts blue-blood collectors that frequent the rotating exhibits by local painters, photographers and sketchers at various levels of their career. Home furnishings are a socialist's delight and include affordable retro pieces that are a find for under 300 euros to more pricey items like vintage tables by Knoll and Vandermeeren.

Dinner at 9 p.m.: Montmartrois love a late dinner -- anything earlier than 8 p.m. is considered lunch. Rather than scurrying off to the Marais or to another showy meal with Joel or Alain, hit nearby La Famille (41 rue des Trois Freres) where a family-style dining room offers a menu of five appetizers, entrees and desserts that dazzles with homemade terrines, provincial duck and meaty specialties that change with the local market seasons. A popular social romp for fashion photographers and Saatchi artists, the space is a leftover of '20s bohemia. Perky bartenders pour Kir Royals and Mojitos while chatting about Bruni or the latest round of U.N. political maneuvers while bumping elbows with amateur DJs spinning '60s French lounge music.

Shake your derriere: Grab your dressiest hoodie and shiniest pair of patent-leather sneakers -- it's time to take advantage of Montmartre nightlife. You'll want to stay clear of the theaters and nudie revue of the central village and instead hit the area's hotspots. While last year the scene was all about Chez Moune, another newcomer has been the epicenter of the action. Social Club opened in 2008, offering a derelict but sexy following of edgy musicians with model girlfriends in tow as well as celebrities like Beth Ditto and Kanye West. Its interiors are a rocker symphony of black complete with painted concrete floors and black brick walls accented by neon lights and small stage area. The perfect venue for a satanic ritual, the venue becomes busier than the Sacre Coeur on Christmas after 2 a.m. when the coolest Parisians show up and stoke the action until the 6 a.m. closing.

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