Le Magnifique
On the lively rue de la Gaîté, in the heart of Montparnasse, Le Magnifique takes over a former 19th-century theatre, Les Mille Colonnes, whose façade still stands.
Created by hotelier Jacques Blanc, owner of the Bellechasse, designed by Christian Lacroix, the hotel sets out to revive the artistic spirit of a neighbourhood that gathered Paris’s creative minds in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
The result gives the appearance of several disjointed film sets that guests can play in.
Vincent Darré, who was born in the 14th arrondissement, has imagined every detail.
In the entrance hall, hand-painted columns pay tribute to La Coupole and the former Saint-Germain-des-Prés drugstore, while a circus-inspired fresco leads to a reception adorned with antique keys.
A glass lift, where mermaids play among seahorses and starfish, serves five floors, each with its own theme, from the Garden of Eden to the deep sea and the Milky Way.
Each of the rooms is unique, with furniture, lighting, ceramics and fabrics all designed by Darré.
Downstairs, a swimming pool lined with mythological mosaics opens onto a patio, like a Greek palace between sea and garden.
At the heart of the hotel, Le Picabia bar lives in sync with the neighbouring theatres: it displays showtimes, rings a bell before curtain-up and hosts a grand piano for spontaneous late-night moments.
This is a novel, but brilliant idea.
Restaurants in the West End of London serving pre-theatre dinners should take note.
Le Magnifique is nestled in the heart of Paris’s 14th arrondissement and the hotel embraces the artistic spirit of the neighbourhood while bringing a new energy; a distinctive and eccentric touch aimed at reawakening the Left Bank.
It is a daring project born from Jacques Blanc’s imagination and developed in collaboration with decorator and designer Vincent Darré: the two developed a true ‘creative love at first sight’ that quickly evolved far beyond the original concept.
Main photo above: Jacques Blanc (left) and Vincent Darré
Surrounded by iconic theatres, the hotel aims to become a true artistic laboratory , a place where every corner immerses visitors in the vibrancy of Paris, past and present.
As such, Le Magnifique is not simply a place to stay, it aims to be a complete immersion into the world of art and performance.
A Staging in Several Acts
From the entrance hall, hand-painted columns evoke those of La Coupole; a large fresco celebrates the worlds of art and the circus; and the reception desk, adorned with vintage keys sourced over time, offers to unlock the doors to paradise itself.
The swimming pool, with its mythological mosaics reflected in the water, opens onto a patio reminiscent of a Greek palace.
The bar, Le Picabia — a tribute to the Parisian painter — moves in rhythm with the neighbouring theatres as it marks their openings and intermissions with the ringing of a bell.
The glass elevator, adorned with mermaids, serves the hotel’s five floors, each revealing its own distinct universe: the Garden of Eden, Mythology, the Abyss, Art Nouveau, and the Milky Way.
The hotel’s 62 rooms are each an original creation designed by Darré, from the furniture and ceramic details to the lighting and fabrics.
This is an extremely personal project, and whilst it will appeal to most, it may jar with a few.
There is a child-like optimism in the mural painting, including the use of bright pastel colours.
Vincent Darré and Jacques Blanc may have been subliminally influenced by the colourful, psychedelic sets of 1960’s television shows like The Prisoner.
This place is more than a hotel, it is an unconventional vision where different forms of art come together to evoke an imagined Paris, where every detail has been designed to convey something of the French decorative arts in a neighbourhood rich with the memory of the creative minds who once gathered here.
This hotel is a tribute to their creative freedom.
Photography credit: Christophe Bielsa
