Claire Laurent

A working comparison of Paris and London as bases for startup founders in 2026. Capital, talent, the AI scene, the cost of being there, and the actual events you will go to.

A ranked, opinionated list of natural-wine bars in Paris that are actually worth showing up for in 2026. Clamato, Septime La Cave, and the smaller rooms in the 11ème nobody is writing about yet.

Claire Laurent rounds up Paris this week — a Marais gallery night, a startup meetup at Station F, two solid bookings at La Cigale and a Sunday brocante in the 11th worth the early alarm.

A side-by-side comparison of Paris and London for art lovers in 2026 — the museums, the contemporary scene, the gallery weekends and which city is genuinely better for what kind of art.

Claire Laurent on the Paris Fashion Week 2026 events you don't need an industry pass for — public showrooms, after-parties, brand pop-ups, and the cafes where the whole circuit drinks coffee.

A Parisien guide to the summer 2026 events worth your time — Fête de la Musique, the rooftops, summer ballet at Garnier and the riverside programmes.

A practical guide to where DeepSeek and Mistral engineers actually appear at public events in Paris and London — research talks, conferences, and the meetup circuit.

A guide to the Paris AI meetup scene around Mistral — public events, well-known venues, and how the city's AI community organises itself.

Paris first-Sunday-of-the-month free museum entry — which museums to do, which to skip because of the queue, and the under-the-radar ones nobody knows about.

A Parisian pushes back on the "Paris food is overrated" narrative. What the tourists eat, what the locals eat, and why the gap is wider than it has ever been.

Twelve genuinely good Paris events this week. A natural-wine pop-up at Clamato, a Le Comptoir Général Saturday, and a startup salon in the 11ème that is finally not embarrassing.

Claire Laurent ranks ten Paris dating spots that aren't the Eiffel Tower or a tourist boat — bistros, listening bars, gardens, museums and one wine cave that does the job properly.

Claire Laurent ranks the best LGBT+ bars and queer-friendly clubs in Paris for 2026 — Le Marais classics, Pigalle queer nights, the new wave, and the proper community calendar.

A 2026 Paris restaurant guide structured by arrondissement — bistros, neo-bistros, neighbourhood gems and the rooms worth a Métro ride. UK English, Parisian eyes.

A direct comparison of Paris and Amsterdam for a 2-3 night weekend trip — pricing, food, walkability, the late-night scene, and which one rewards the visit more.

A practical guide to the best cheering spots along the Paris Marathon 2026 route, plus the bars and brunches that will be open and welcoming once your runner hobbles in.

A proper Paris week — Rex Club has a Saturday I would not skip, La Bellevilloise is doing a free apéro session, and Station F has a public talk on Wednesday.

A ranked guide to the English-language bookshops in Paris in 2026 actually worth a Saturday — from a Left Bank classic to a Marais shop with the best events programme in the city.