Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2026

De Vie

Paris

Paris’ hottest new bar with no ice

De Vie opened its doors in Paris last year with a simple mission: to platform the very best of the French larder. Split across four distinct rooms, individually designed to represent each season, the spaces have become the city's hottest new spots, thanks in part to its sustainable operation that spotlights French seasonality.

Descending into the subterranean bar area, peek behind the staircase to see the shelves of house-made infusions and tinctures. Deployed in both its cocktails and dishes in the dining area above, each elixir was created to capture the flavours of in-season produce, allowing access to a library of flavours year-round without the reliance on imports with hefty air miles.

When it comes to sourcing its spirits, the bar avoids industrial, large-scale manufacturers, instead favouring options from French producers wherever possible. Buying in bulk from local distillery Baccae, the bar uses eau de vies made from endemic fruit and vegetables – including apples, grapes and beetroot – as the base for its house-made spirits and liqueurs.

The bar also comes with the added benefit of sharing ingredients with its dining space above. For the small amount that cannot be reused or recycled, organic waste is collected and composted by social enterprise Les Alchemistes, which collects compost bins using electric bikes and utility vehicles, and ensure at least 50 per cent of its workforce is made up of people from marginalised backgrounds.

Just as much as environmental sustainability is important, De Vie's founders also understand that humans form a key piece of the puzzle. For its staff, the bar offers full healthcare coverage beyond the statutory minimums, with working weeks capped at 48 hours or fewer by contract, with all overtime paid in full. 

And the most impressive feat of all? There isn't a single cube of ice to be found in the entire bar. Through a clever combination of custom ceramics and chilling techniques to keep the drinks sub-zero, the bar eliminates the excess energy and water lost to ice production and storage. When it comes to powering the fridges and freezers, all energy comes from renewable sources, with 10 per cent of energy costs being reinvested directly into sustainable development projects. 

As a blueprint for the modern eco-friendly bar, De Vie is named winner of the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2026. 

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