Place Vendôme; The symbol of luxury and elegance in Paris
Categories : Fashion and Shopping, published on : 10/3/14
One of the most striking architectural ensembles to be found in Paris, the Place Vendôme is both a place of elegance and a byword for luxury. Some of the city’s most fashionable boutiques and luxury stores are situated here, less than half a mile from The Chess Hotel. It is a location no visitor to Paris should miss.
A place of refinement, grace and fine taste
The Place Vendôme was created at the behest of Louis XIV, the Sun King, to reflect his glory. Designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the French Baroque architect, the square presents a uniform frontage of arched ground floors and upper floors set with tall windows separated by ornamental pillars and pilasters. A statue of the king once occupied a prominent position, but this fell victim to the French Revolution and was replaced in 1810 by a 44 metre tall column constructed from bronze taken from enemy cannons captured at the Battle of Austerlitz. Today a statue of Napoleon I, dressed in the style of a Roman emperor, surmounts the column.
During the period of the Second Empire the Place Vendôme underwent a gradual transformation, becoming a showcase for fine luxury goods and an extremely fashionable place to live. Frederic Chopin, George Sand and Scott Fitzgerald are among the famous names who have resided in this magnificent square.
Today the Place Vendôme and the adjacent Rue de la Paix are the home of some of the world’s most fashionable fashion and jewellery brands. Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Chaumet and Boucheron are some of the globally famous names located here in this most impressive of squares.
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- Place Vendôme, Paris 1er
- Van Cleef & Arpels: 22, Place Vendôme
- Cartier: 23, Place Vendôme
- Chanel: 18, Place Vendôme
- Louis Vuitton: 23, Place Vendôme
- Chaumet: 12, Place Vendôme
- Boucheron: 26, Place Vendôme
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Picture copyright holder: Tourist Office Paris - Photographer Marc Bertrand
The Chess Hotel, a chic 4 * hotel close to the Opera Garnier
