It’s been just over 10 years now since I was last in Paris. Actually, I was studying in Southern France and my girlfriend was scheduled to visit for the summer, which she was spending with her friend who lived and worked in Paris.
On a student budget, needless to say, I could not afford the best room in Paris. Far from it in fact, we were staying in a rather shabby place with the next door building under construction. It was turning out to be a bit unpleasant for both of us. But, unbeknownst to my darling I had planned to ask her to marry me.
Of course, holding to your plans in Paris is like holding to anything with buttered fingers. The day stared off well enough, with the ring tucked into my pocket, on our way to Château de Versailles. And although it was a rather beautiful day, it was packed with tourist, including us. So, the right moment just did not present itself. Still, I was determined to make a romantic gesture, so I decided that I’ll wait until we were at the top of the Eifel Tower later that evening. But, as your luck might have in it France, there was a sanitation worker’s strike, which of course in French logic also meant the closing of the elevator for the Tower.
Yet, giving the terrible hotel we were staying in, neither of us, despite being tired, wanted to go back. Certainly not me with the ring still in my pocket. So, we decided to walk over the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. And what do you, the moment found us, overlooking the beautiful night lights of Paris.
So, when we returned to Paris last year for a very short stay, we decided to splurge to make up for the last time. We decided to stay at the recently re-opened Le Royal Monceau, just a five minute walk from Arc De Triomphe and Champs-Elysées. Le Royal Monceau, which certainly showy hotel, was redesigned by modernist Philippe Starck (who’s probably best known in America though his product designs for Target Stores).
Since our stay here was limited to one couple of days, we did not have enough time to really wonder whether we like this style of not, and given it’s hype as “the” place to stay, we just enjoyed ourselves. This is the in-crowd place to be, buzzing with film directors, actors, models, advertising gurus, fashion divas; everyone dressed immaculately looking like a tear-sheet from Paris Vogue.
The real triumph of this place is its attention to art. It has its own gallery, Art District, with the inaugural Basquiat show, which features works selected from Enrico Navarra’s collection. Yet, this is counterbalanced with wild gestures like a guitar in every room, and a portable recording studio available for the guests.
This is certainly a flamboyant place, and it filled our craving to live the highlife for a bit.
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