PARIS DELUXE: PLACE VENDOME

PARIS DELUXE: PLACE VENDOME Alexis Gregory (Rizzoli, $65) Here's a great excuse for an ornamental coffee-table book: an ode to one of the most elegant Parisian squares. Since it was built as a tribute to King Louis XIV in 1685, the Place Vendome has played a key role in the history of fashion, finance, and the international smart set (its famous occupants include Chanel, Bulgari, Cartier, Lalique, and, of course, the Ritz). With over 300 years of glamour to showcase, Deluxe contrasts sumptuous interiors with informal portraits: Hemingway at the hotel bar; a lounging Douglas Fairbanks at the Ritz; Audrey Hepburn with the Vendome's distinctive column behind her; Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy, Maria Callas, and the Duchess of Windsor glittering with the rocks of Vendome jewelers Van Cleef & Arpels. Decadent? Yes. Fascinating? Mais oui. A