Dropping $111 million on a Paris pied-à-terre may seem excessive to some, but not to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. The Emir of Qatar has recently purchased one of France’s most mythic private homes, the Hôtel Lambert.

Designed by Louis Le Vau in 1640, the property, which sits at the tip of the Ile Saint-Louis, had been the Paris residence of Baron Guy de Rothschild and his late second wife, society queen Marie-Hélène, since 1975, reports W Magazine.

Emir plans a huge overhaul of the building

Here’s is a sneak peek of the first of four Christian Dior Ads featuring Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard.

“Perched on top of the Eiffel Tower, its intricate metalwork echoing the canework pattern on the iconic tote, Cotillard posed for photographer Peter Lindbergh wearing an enigmatic expression — and a sexy black number by John Galliano from the spring collection.”

The spots are the first in a four-part series, with Paris being only the first city and chapter. Further details about her next adventure, and what precious cargo she’s carrying, are to be revealed on a forthcoming The campaign will run twice a year.

Police are hunting for thieves behind the biggest jewellery heist ever in France when they made off with diamonds and other valuables worth up to €80 million (102 million dollars) from a luxury boutique in Paris.

The three armed robbers burst into the Harry Winston jewellers on the exclusive Avenue Montaigne in the centre of the French capital yesterday. They made off with almost all the valuables in the shop.

The value of the diamonds and other precious stones and metals taken was first placed at €50 million by French police, before being revised to €80 million.

Last Monday at Drouot, Paris main auction room, a piece of Eiffel tower staircase was sold for 80,500 euros ($105,000). It’s 3 meters and a half high, 20-step section, 1 meter 70 cm round, and weights over 700 kilos.

It’s a piece of a staircase leading from second to third floor, which was cut in twenty four pieces and sold in auction in 1983.

The original 1911-step staircase leading up the tower was removed so that elevators could be installed. Gustave Eiffel himself climbed the staircase in the 1889 inaugural ceremony.

A few months ago, we mentioned potential plans to change the Paris skyline. Now the first project, is moving into more serious planning stages.

Indeed, Paris council has unveiled plans for a 50-storey glass pyramid following an official decision in July to break the ban on buildings higher than 37m.

Proposals for the Projet Triangle, designed by Swiss architecture practice Herzog & de Meuron (who designed the Olympic stadium in Beijing), include offices, a conference centre and a 400-bed hotel as well as restaurants, cafes and gardens.

Recently, I discovered an incredible pastry-shop in Paris, Pierre Hermé, where you can try some interesting flavored macarons, such as caramel with fleur de sel , passion fruit with chocolate or even rose petal cream.

(Macarons are French, meringue-like cookies made with almond flour – sometimes called luxembourgers – while Macaroons are cookies made with coconut)

Pierre Herm̩ is an artist Рan artist of pastry making - and he is known for his innovative recipes. He began his apprenticeship at Gaston Len̫tre at the age of 14, where he discovered his passion for pastry making.