Historic hotel in Paris
In the early 1860s, Paris was buzzing with excitement. Napoléon III, assisted by baron Haussmann, intended to make the French capital a shining example of modern, cultural and artistic life. Paris was to become the “City of Light”, a place to be and to be seen. With this in mind, a lavish hotel project was developed, symbolising French influence and heralding the Universal Exhibition which was to take place in 1867.
Le Grand Hôtel, a legendary hotel since 1862
A testament to Haussmann’s ambitions, the mammoth undertaking was completed in barely a year. On 5 May 1862, Empress Eugénie inaugurated Le Grand Hôtel.
It boasted elegant facades offering three views, five floors housing 800 rooms and 45 salons, including the extraordinary Salon Opéra.
A benchmark of the Second Empire style with gilding, arcades and candelabras, all under a 14 meter dome. On the ground floor, the Café de la Paix quickly became the artistic and social rendezvous for all of Paris. The epic tale began and has never stopped since…
The history of the Grand Hôtel has been shaped by large and small events. The inauguration of the Palais Garnier Opera House in 1875 after 15 years of work, the presence of Georges Clemenceau on the balcony of the hotel to watch the parade of troops in 1918, the negotiations leading up to the signing of the Atlantic Pact in the salons of the hotel’s mezzanine floor in 1948 and many more…
And of course, there are all the great names – Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, Marlène Dietrich and Joséphine Baker during the Roaring Twenties, René Goscinny, Jean-Jacques Sempé, and so many others who happily rubbed shoulders here.
Over the centuries, the Grand Hôtel and the Café de la Paix have stood the test of time. They have both been completely renovated by the architect, Pierre-Yves Rochon, and have been successfully redesigned to embody current Parisian chic, while retaining their signature styles. Unique.
