Château Voltaire: the art and fashion hotel not to be missed
Between hushed luxury and artistic effervescence, Château Voltaire establishes itself as the epicenter of the fashion world during Paris Fashion Week. This five-star hotel, nestled between the Opéra Garnier and the Tuileries, embodies a vision of Paris as lively, festive and steeped in culture, shaped by Thierry Gillier, founder of Zadig & Voltaire and an avid art collector. Take a guided tour of a place that combines high-end hotels, gastronomy and contemporary art, attracting designers, celebrities and intellectuals from all over the world.
A hotel designed as a private residence
Like the legendary Château Marmont in Los Angeles, Château Voltaire cultivates an intimate, exclusive atmosphere, far removed from standardized hotels. With just 32 rooms, including a sumptuous Suite Voltaire perched on the rooftops of Paris, the establishment boasts thick, 1940s-inspired carpeting and a style that oscillates between modernity and historical heritage.
The interior design, entrusted to the Festen duo, plays on textures, noble materials and contrasts. Each room becomes a Parisian jewel box, a haven of peace out of sight, where sophisticated comfort is expressed without ostentation.
The artistic imprint of Château Voltaire
The Château Voltaire may be discreet, but it reveals a hidden treasure to its guests: an impressive collection of works of art. Under the direction of renowned curator Jean-Olivier Despres, the hotel houses unique pieces, regularly renewed according to the owner’s whims.
Among the works on display: a Basquiat and a Salvatore Emblema in the living rooms. An openwork chair by Paul Poiret, dating from 1925. A powerful quadriptych by Marlène Dumas, Life before birth, installed in the L’Emil brasserie. A painting by Francis Picabia evoking Samson and Delilah. Le Chapeau Rouge by Roger-Edgar Gillet, a recently rediscovered artist. Works by photoconceptualist Steven Shearer, visible in the private apartment on the top floor.
James Franco has also made his mark, creating a drawing for the room service menu, now framed in the lounge.
L’Emil and La Coquille d’Or: insiders and their secrets
Open Monday to Saturday, brasserie L’Emil has become a popular address for food lovers and fashionistas alike. Its warm ambience, enhanced by the works of art adorning its walls, makes it an unmissable meeting place.
Inspired by the emblematic 16th-century motif adorning one of the building’s corners, La Coquille d’Or has become the new haunt of elegant night owls. With its subdued atmosphere and signature rosemary cocktail, this bar regularly hosts exclusive after-shows, such as the one for the Victoria Beckham fashion show, where the electric atmosphere prompted the bartender to scour the whole neighborhood in search of fresh herbs.
Why is Château Voltaire a favorite fashion haven?
Since its inauguration in 2021, Château Voltaire has attracted influential figures from the worlds of fashion, cinema and culture. Its ideal location and hushed atmosphere make it the perfect meeting place during Fashion Week.
Among its regulars: creators and designers, seduced by its aestheticism and discretion. Photographers and models, who find it an elegant cocoon between shows. Celebrities such as James Franco, who has left his artistic mark here. Intellectuals and artists in search of an inspiring and refined setting.
The secret? A perfect balance between timeless elegance and contemporary effervescence, just like the Paris it embodies.
A must for aesthetes in search of the exceptional
Whether you come to stay in a room with historic accents, admire a unique art collection or enjoy a cocktail at La Coquille d’Or, Château Voltaire promises a timeless experience, where every detail tells a story.
A place of inspiration and encounters, a sanctuary of discreet luxury, it’s more than a hotel: it’s a modern myth, vibrating to the rhythm of the capital.
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