Caroline de Maigret on the Art of Travel
Always on the go, the fashion vet lives by one simple rule.
![Caroline de Maigret traveling on the streets of Paris, Seville, and Athens](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7ZTjLVALLdmboUU4oUxe3Q-415-80.png)
In our series MC Muse, savvy women from around the world share their style, their ambitions, and the most coveted pieces to shop right now.
Taking the road less traveled comes naturally for Caroline de Maigret. Her multi-faceted career as a model, Chanel ambassador, rock music producer, and author have taken her around the world and back. Authentically experiencing each new spot in and outside her hometown of Paris is often her goal.
As one of Marriott's the Luxury Collection global explorers, de Maigret has documented her years of travels and turned them into curated city guides for some of the world's most cosmopolitan places—Paris, Venice, Athens. Each destination's manual holds her must-visit spots, from hotels to cafes, and her best-kept secrets. Recommendations adhere to her travel philosophy: Immersing oneself in a place's sights, sounds, and people makes the best memories.
Ahead of August's busy travel season, we sat down with de Maigret to hear about her jet-setting rules to live by, the pieces she never leaves home without, and her strategy for uncovering a city's best local hideaways.
Marie Claire: How do you keep a routine?
Caroline de Maigret: I walk around immediately after waking up in a new city for 20 minutes minimum. I need my body to be active. Then, I read the news and start writing. I do all of my creative work in the mornings. It's the same whether I'm in Paris or Japan. I try to get in all my intense work [done] at the beginning of the day.
Caroline de Maigret in her hometown of Paris, France.
MC: You're known for your sense of style. How do you describe your travel uniform?
CDM: I still want to look cool; I don't change my style. I always like to have an androgynous rock-and-roll edge. I feel especially bold when I'm wearing a leather jacket. It's like a good friend. My other suitcase staples are a swimsuit—you never know when you'll need one—a sweater, a pair of sneakers, and a long black dress. If by chance someone takes me to a party, asks me to climb a mountain, or wants to swim in the sea—I'm ready.
de Maigret in Seville, Spain.
MC: How do you find your way around new places?
CDM: I tend to wander around, but a long time ago, I started writing down the people I meet in different cities, and I'll text them if I'm ever going to be there. I ask them for recommendations for restaurants and vintage stores. Sometimes, I get great recommendations you wouldn't be able to find on the internet. I've found that people in bars always know where the good vinyl stores are.
de Maigret on the last evening of the Chanel 2023 Cruise show in Monaco.
MC: What other travel rules do you have?
CDM: I only have one rule: Always bring a carry-on.
Shop Some of Caroline's Travel Essentials:
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Sara Holzman is the Style Director for Marie Claire, where she's worked alongside the publication for eight years in various roles, ensuring the brand's fashion content continues to inform, inspire, and shape the conversation about fashion's ever-evolving landscape. With a degree from the Missouri School of Journalism, Sara is responsible for overseeing a diverse fashion content mix, from emerging and legacy designer profiles to reported features on the influence of social media on style and seasonal and micro trends across the world's fashion epicenters in New York, Milan, and Paris. Before joining Marie Claire, Sara held fashion roles at Conde Nast's Lucky Magazine and Self Magazine and was a style and travel contributor to Equinox's Furthermore website. Over her decade of experience in the fashion industry, Sara has helped guide each brand's style point of view, working alongside veteran photographers and stylists to bring editorial and celebrity photo shoots to fruition from start to finish. Sara currently lives in New York City. When she's not penning about fashion or travel, she’s at the farmer’s market, on a run, working to perfect her roasted chicken recipe, or spending time with her husband, dog, and cat. Follow her along at @sarajonewyork
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