From the Best Café to the Coolest Vintage Boutique—Jeanne Damas's Guide to Paris

Welcome to Locals Only. In this series, we're tapping notable locals in the style space to share a tight list of their top recommendations of what to see, eat, and shop in their home city. They'll share off-the-radar recs that you won't find in your average guidebook, resulting in digestible mini guides revealing where the city's most fashionable residents are actually hanging out.

If you were to find yourself sitting on the terrasse at a café in Saint-Germain, perusing vintage treasures at Marché aux Puces, or perhaps drinking a glass of red at a buzzy resto in Le Marais, then you'd probably spot a coterie of cool Parisian women wearing vintage-inspired straight-leg jeans or effortless lacy slip dresses, and most definitely classic oversize (but perfectly tailored) blazers carrying the label Rouje, the fashion brand founded by It girl Jeanne Damas. The entrepreneur, designer, and global style influencer’s very name conjures up the internationally idealized art of casual style à la française—that effortlessly chic Parisian aesthetic we talk of so often, characterized by easy, uncomplicated and timeless wardrobe staples.

The Paris native started her career as a blogger and quickly rose to fame on Instagram documenting her everyday Parisian life and uniform. (She now has a savvy social media presence with 1.5 million followers.) Her global fashion brand, founded in 2016 and now with stores in Paris, London, and New York, is unquestionably an extension of her own personal wardrobe—one made up of feminine pieces; timeless, minimalist staples; and just the right amount of vintage—infused with her own stylish je ne sais quoi.

When Damas isn't designing or running Rouje in her office on Rue Bachaumont, she relishes in the simple pleasures of everyday Parisian life—playing with her son at the local playground, going to the cinema, hanging with friends on her terrace, reading books at home, or shopping for vintage home finds in Parisian flea markets. Read on to see and discover Paris through her eyes. 

Where are you originally from, and how long have you lived in Paris?

I was born and raised in Paris.

What are some of your favorite neighborhoods, and where do you find yourself spending the most time? 

I grew up in the 12th arrondissement of Paris and spent most of my life in the 12th/11th. I really like these areas, which are very nice to live in with their local shops, restaurants, and a very interesting mix of people from different backgrounds.

What does a typical day off look like for you?

I like to do things on my own like going to the cinema or just stay at home and read a book, but since I have a child, I spend most of my time off when I'm not working with him, and we very often go to the playground and meet with friends. 

If you had to create the perfect afternoon for someone visiting the city with a limited amount of time, which area would you send them to and what would their afternoon entail?

The great thing with Paris is its size, you can do a lot by just walking. I would definitely recommend a nice walk, maybe on the Quai of the Seine, even me I live here, each time I go there I'm charmed by the astonishing view. Then why not lose yourself in the marais with all its old mansions, stores and restaurants. If you can fit it in, the Picasso museum is always worth a visit.

What is one spot in Paris that you're secretly gatekeeping?

My terrace.

Which fashion items are key to pack and wear on a trip to Paris? Which items are your "Parisian staples?"

Comfortable shoes—you have to walk a lot while you're in Paris. When you visit in fall, a pair of high-waisted jeans, a nice top with an oversize jacket like the Jacques by Rouje or a nice trench coat. I would also definitely recommend a wrap dress like our famous Gabin, which can fit every occasion from visiting places to an improvised dinner in a nice restaurant. 

"Café Compagnon is only some steps away from the Rouje office and is a bit like my cantine. The food is amazing, and the staff there are super lovely.”

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"The Clown Bar. They have also a really great selection of natural wine."

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"The terrace of the Cafe Nemours in front of the Comédie-Française."

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"I'm more of a natural-wine person, and the best one is at Chez Martin."

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"The café of the Hôtel Bachaumont in front of my office."

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"The Louvre has the most incredible collection. It's impossible not to discover or rediscover something that speaks to you."

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"You can always find some great pieces from the '70s or '80s by Yves Saint Laurent or Ungaro at La Mode Vintage."

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"I like to gift books, so depending on the person's taste, a literature book at Shakespeare and Company or a photo book from Ofr or Le Plac'Art."

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"I love to go vintage hunting at the flea market Marché aux Puces in Clichy to find unique pieces for my home."

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"A tour on the Bateaux Mouches. The boat ride is very beautiful, and the change of perspective—to see everything from the level of the Seine—is very interesting."

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"La Belle Époque—everybody goes there."

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"Les Buttes-Chaumont—it's our Central Park."

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"Atelier Ko is a florist who has great bouquets and beautiful flowers."

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