Proving just how sophisticated Parisians like their evening venues is Faust, a new art and foodie hub opening in the city‘s 8th arrondissement (or “district”). The name Faust may seem familiar; it’s also the name of the protagonist of a German fable, in which Faust is a successful scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for absolute knowledge and unlimited worldly pleasures. While no explicit link to the legend has been evoked, Faust will definitely offer plenty in the way of worldly pleasure such as food, drink, art and music.
Faust is a joint venture between Adrien “Addy” Samsam Bakhtiari, the owner of other well-known Parisian establishments such as Showcase, Millionaire, Opéra Restaurant, Régine, La Belle Epoque and Miou Miou, and architect Didier Faustino, who has been challenged with whipping the 7,900-square-foot venue into a space fit for the Parisian in-crowd.
Adding to a rich (but not very diverse) nightlife scene, Faust will join existing favorites such as Le Baron, Beef Club Ballroom, Wanderlust, Prescription Cocktail Club and celebrity hangout Silencio, to name but a few of its popular neighbors. Faust will be located on the left bank of the Seine, in a recess under the pont (or “bridge”) Alexandre III, balancing out another venue, Showcase, under the bridge on the right bank. The project is part of Mayor Bertrand Delanoë’s development Voix sur Berges project for the Seine waterfront from pont Royal to pont de l’Alma, which should be completed in time for summer.
Although much of Faust is still shrouded in mystery, the word on the grapevine is that the venue will include a restaurant and several exhibition spaces; Japanese bento boxes will also be served throughout the day, and the venue will host all events ranging from fashion shows and workshops, to live music acts and film screenings. The new venue will have a slightly nautical atmosphere, thanks to 70-foot bay windows looking over the water right in the heart of the city.
Despite the secrecy of Faust’s grand opening, the venue has posted details for a three-day Brunch Bazar that will take place this weekend. Starting on Friday, June 28, the Brunch Bazar (a seasonal event founded by Nadége Winter, former marketing director of retail hotspot Colette and cutting-edge gallery Palais de Tokyo) will bring a whirlwind of activity to Faust.
For this 11th edition of the event, a play area for all sorts of games — from board games to Ping-Pong — will be set up for guests to enjoy. A pop-up fashion store, selling vintage wear as well as key items from the latest trends, will be another main attraction. For foodies, there will be la cuisine du Brunch Bazar, which will feature healthy organic fare influenced by Brooklyn and Portland’s best restaurants. Cookies and cupcakes will be the stars of the show, as well as barbecues on the back terrace. For parents needing a bit of a break from the children, an activity space will be set up for kids ages two through 10. And after a hard day at play, live DJs will take over the restaurant until the early hours of the morning on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for Brunch Bazar are available from the online ticketing agent, Digitick (8 euros adults, $10.50 USD; 4 euros children, $5.25 USD).
