On the very lively Boulevard Raspail, in the heart of the bustling Parisian scene, the elegant stone façade and the beautiful marquise of the hotel seem to have always stood here wisely. At the beginning of the last century, it was the place to be of an illustrious Saint-Germain-des-Prés, refuge of the Parisian intellectual elite, admired in the four corners of the globe. The Grand Hôtel Cayré was a privileged witness to these few glorious decades, easily mixing the exuberance of the Roaring Twenties and the existentialist post-war period. After a year of work, the hotel is getting a facelift and offers its guests the opportunity to relive a fragment of this legendary past, in an atmosphere finely orchestrated by theBritish architect Michaelis Boyd.
Photo: Freestone and charming marquise as a welcome to the Grand Hôtel Cayré.
The short and long history of the Grand Hôtel Cayré
Located at 4, boulevard Raspail, this seven-story building, built in 1915 by thearchitect Achille Champymaster of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles, has seen beautiful people pass through. Inaugurated in 1920 by Auguste Cayré, the hotel has for decades embodied a chic, discreet and unostentatious address, popular with personalities seeking tranquility in this district with its abundant energy. Many writers have stopped there, whether for one night or for long periods. Requisitioned by German intelligence services during the Second World War, coveted by local publishers and frequented by artists in the 1950s for its uniquely charming bar and restaurant, Grand Cayré has spanned the century and had a thousand lives before. to be redeemed by the Miiro groupa new player in the urban hotel industry, inviting its guests to rethink their relationship with time, to slow down and fully savor the present moment.
Photo: Between the reception and the Annette restaurant, the counter offers a refined and timeless atmosphere.
The Grand Hôtel Cayré, a timeless experience
As soon as you cross the door of Grand Cayré, we are instantly transported to a Saint-Germain-des-Prés from another time: that of refined atmospheres, with hushed charm, where we like to retreat, away from the hustle and bustle of Paris, whether for a drink, lunch or a night. For this large-scale renovation which lasted almost a year, architect Michaelis Boyd was able to inscribe his intervention in the exceptional history of the premises while injecting a subtle touch of his British fantasy.
Without ever falling into cliché, his chiseled style disseminates a slew of details that arouse curiosity. You enter Grand Cayré like you would board a time machine, without being intimidated, but rather won over by a deep feeling of security. On each floor, art watches over, like a reassuring thread, especially for those who tend to place it on a pedestal. Alongside the stained wood furniture, seats with embroidered fabrics, fringed lamps and fascinating chandeliers, we marvel at a framed work by Boris Vian, another by Bernanos, a photo by Simone de Beauvoir, then Juliette Gréco, and many others. They all keep watch here, in the background, to tell the story of this vanished time which built the legend of the neighborhood and the address.
Photo: The staircase revisited by the poetic painting of Mathias Kiss.
To the elegance of the Roaring Twenties and existentialists is added an almost surrealist touch at the heart of the large original staircase which serves the seven floors of the building. The decor was entrusted to the artist Mathias Kissknown in particular for its celestial vaults. He imagined a discreet sky, like a spinning work of art, which one takes to access the 123 rooms of the hotel, all imbued with a delicate half-British, half-Art Deco charm. The hotel's most beautiful suite plays a completely different score. Baptized The Collector's Suite, this double suite with a view of the Eiffel Tower was designed as a real experience, a moment suspended in the heart of the zinc roofs of the capital.
Photo: The Collector's Suite and its exceptional pieces.
Nestled on the seventh floor, it was entirely decorated by Gilbert Canspecialist in decorative arts of the 20th and 21st centuries. Immersing yourself in a page of world design history, art and literature, this vast 45 m² room invites its guest to let their mind wander according to the view, the selected pieces or the works made available . Here, the Theatrical meetings of Pierre Sala rub shoulders with armchairs with modern lines by Heinz Witthoeft, the futurists lighting by Olivier Mourgue respond to the playful and curvy sculptures of Marthe and Jean-Marie Simonnet – unique pieces, all available for purchase. The modular library, which looks like a screen, reflects the image of the hotel: intellectual and eclectic, capable of satisfying lovers of French and American literature, photography and poetry enthusiasts. In a word: a timeless stay.
Savor the present moment at Annette’s
For those who would like to be satisfied other than by literature and art, the hotel, faithful to its history, has its own restaurant for dinner and lunch, open to hotel guests and ordinary passers-by. Named Annette, in homage to the Franco-German writer Annette Kolb, who lived here for 17 years, the place cultivates a French aesthetic both in its decor and in its dishes. There bistro cuisine by Bruno Brangeaformer executive chef of Alain Ducasse, revisits some emblematic dishes from the French repertoire (oeufs en meurette in the lead). The refined atmosphere borrows its codes from the style of the brasseries of yesteryear, very popular with artists from the left bank, with its benches to curl up on, its subdued lights and its veils scattered on the small table lamps or on the heights of banquette to guarantee the intimacy of a shared dinner. Another refuge to retire to to end the evening: thePharmacy Bac. This speakeasy-style bar, hidden behind thick curtains, revives the atmosphere of 50s evenings in the neighborhood. A refuge for insiders where you can enjoy the cocktails of the charismatic Oscar Blackstone, formerly of Silencio, who has created an aromatic menu with herbaceous accents reminiscent of botany and the Roaring Twenties. Again and again…
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The Grand Hotel Cayré
4, boulevard Raspail
75 007 Paris
