This article reviews the Maison Proust hotel in Paris, which is dedicated to the memory of Marcel Proust. The hotel aims to evoke the atmosphere of the Belle Époque and features art and design inspired by Proust's life and works.
This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Paris. There are obvious complexities in dedicating a pleasure palace to the memory of Marcel Proust , a man who spent much of his life as a hypochondriac, an invalid and a recluse. There are added complexities in celebrating a writer whose lengthy work most visitors may not have dared to read. But Maison Proust, a sumptuous hotel in Paris’s Marais district, does not let such things get in its way. It leans straight into Proust nostalgia.
It aims to evoke the glories of the Belle Époque — the salons and the soirées — with the help of some fine art from the era. There are nods to Proust’s links with the Impressionists and the writers John Ruskin and Anna, Comtesse de Noailles. When you walk in, you are faced with a quote written into the wood panelling: an extract from volume two of À la recherche du temps perdu, in which the narrator Marcel’s much-desired Albertine promises to spend the night in his hotel room. She offers him the chance to “sit by my bed and watch me eat and afterwards we will play at anything you choose”. Well, quite. The staff are on hand with other crumbs of Proust as required. The hotel’s creators, Sylviane Sanz and Yoni Aïdan, also run the five-star Maison Souquet in Montmartre and the four-star Maison Athénée near the Opéra Garnier. They say that their designs favour the sensual over the ostentatious. At Maison Proust, a bar and restaurant area with an intriguingly dark decor stretches out on the ground floor. A few dozen luxuriant armchairs yearn for conversation. There is just room to tuck in a small library, its round ceiling hand-painted with sea monsters. The jewels in the crown, however, are downstairs in the basement: a swimming pool and sauna, fenced by columns and mosaics, and inspired, we’re told, by the “Orientalism of Aunt Léonie’s salons, where Marcel Proust spent part of his childhood”. All guests can have the 10-metre pool and hammam to themselves for an hour a da
TRAVEL HOTEL PARIS MARCEL PROUST BELLE ÉPOQUE
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Maison Proust: A Parisian Hotel Dedicating to Marcel ProustA luxurious hotel in Paris's Marais district, Maison Proust, celebrates the life and work of Marcel Proust. The hotel aims to evoke the Belle Époque era with its design and decor, featuring nods to Proust's connections with Impressionism and prominent writers.
Read more »
Amanda Holden Shows Off Daughter Hollie's Luxurious Beverly Hills Hotel Themed BedroomBritain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden has brought her daughter Hollie's Beverly Hills Hotel themed bedroom to life at her £7 million mansion. The Style Sisters are handling the organization and decluttering of Hollie's luxurious walk-in wardrobe.
Read more »
We stayed in a Doctor Who themed hotel and revelled in Whovian luxuryThe Mercure offers a stylish, centrally located base to explore the city, making it an excellent choice for a winter getaway
Read more »
San Diego’s Hotel Scene Evolves with The Lafayette Hotel and ClubSan Diego's hotel industry is changing as boutique and independent hotels emerge. The Lafayette Hotel and Club, with its bold and maximalist interiors designed by Post Company, leads the way in offering unique experiences.
Read more »
Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie Spotted at Beverly Hills Hotel's Polo LoungeOn a Monday in November, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie were seen at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel, amidst a mix of power diners and tourists. The restaurant, known for its high prices and celebrity sightings, offered a glimpse into the still-vibrant Los Angeles social scene.
Read more »
Le Bal des Débutantes 2024 Hosted at Paris's Five-Star Shangri-La HotelThis year's prestigious debutante event, Le Bal des Débutantes, took place at the luxurious Hotel Shangri-La in Paris, featuring 19 handpicked young ladies from influential families worldwide.
Read more »