Rameau • Palais Royal 2 Bedroom

2eme ardt, Paris, France
metro: Palais Royal (Line 1) & Pyramides (Line 14)
size: 108m2 or 1163 Sq Ft.
sleeps: up to 5
baths: 2
Air Conditioning in Bedrooms: Yes
Walk-Up: Yes

 
In the heart of Paris a short walking distance from the Louvre, Opéra, Palais Royal, the Galerie Vivienne, and the legendary Faubourg Ste Honore, you will find this spacious, chic, and completely luxurious 108m2/ 1163 SQ FT, 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom vacation apartment.

Housed up 2.5 flights of stairs in a classified 18th century, pre-Revolution building, this extraordinary apartment has been fully renovated by its American and French owners and their talented interior designers, the Paris-based ‘double g’. The apartment delivers the comforts and amenities of the best boutique hotels while offering the sophistication, privacy and charm of an authentic Parisian home.

The décor is an eclectic mix of the classics and the contemporary. The striking hardwood floors in the apartment are original 18th century parquet, featuring the classic ‘point de Hongrie’ in the bedrooms, parquet ‘a l’anglaise’ in the entrée, and a more unusual variant of the parquet ‘Versailles’ in the salon.

The apartment surprises and delights from the moment you cross the threshold. The entrée is a warm violet, featuring an elegant ‘light box’, a stunning mid century light fixture, and a delicate Louis Philippe marble table for your keys.

The two bedrooms (both with air conditioning) display an equal splash of color: one is a deep red, with a king sized bed, a large kilim rug, a Florence Knoll marble bench, striking bedside tables from the French modernist period of the 1950s, a Bruno Mathsson teak dresser and a gorgeous Louis Philippe mirror; the second is mint green, with a queen sized bed, a 19th century mahogany mirror, a hunter green Eames chair, and an extraordinary 19th century ebony and mother of pearl inlaid secrétaire. Both rooms have plenty of closet space and top-of-the-line bedding, including goose down duvets and pillows and 800-thread count Egyptian cotton linens. An AeroBed and a crib can be supplied at no extra cost.

The bathrooms have been completely renovated, featuring Parisian elegance, American amenities and comfort, and a Japanese-influenced appreciation for order and space. The first includes a luxurious porcelain double sink, Philippe Starck light fixtures, a full-length towel heater, and a deliciously spacious marble shower with a 10-inch rain shower. The second bathroom is tiled in gorgeous cream squares and includes an equally spacious shower with a 10-inch rain shower, Artemide lighting, a full-length towel heater, and a delicate curtain feature.

The elegant salon is all about light. Exceedingly bright for a Parisian apartment; it faces Southwest and includes five full double windows. The room is designed to be both comfortable and eclectic, featuring a gray linen sofa from Caravane, the notable French design shop, a 1960s burled wood Italian coffee table, a classic Mies van der Rohe chair, and a stately Napoleon III desk that the owners found at a chateau near their summer home in the Lot. Bespoke shelving holds a large collection of art books, a 32” flat screen TV, a state-of-the-art digital music system and iPod deck by Vita Audio, and selected artwork. The shelving includes a sliding panel that covers the television and stereo system when you are entertaining guests; the panel itself features a large photo by the up-and-coming France-born, New York-based photographer Katrina Laval.

The kitchen is a delight. It’s equipped for a simple breakfast for four – and for a dinner party for twelve. Elegant wooden cabinetry, black Zimbabwean stone countertops, and top-of-the-line Miele and Siemens appliances make for a chef’s kitchen that is also a pleasure for entertaining. The black and white tile flooring is reminiscent of the spiral staircase to the apartment, the teak kitchen table and chairs are classic 1950s Danish design, the room is lit by a unique Finn Juhl chandelier, and the walls feature two large original flower prints from Deyrolle, the legendary shop near the Musee d’Orsay on the Left Bank.

Your Parisian home is in the absolute center of the city: the majesty of the Louvre, the grandeur of the Opèra, the elegance of the Place Vendome, the shopping haven of Faubourg Ste Honore, the beauty of the 18th century gardens of the Palais Royal, and the style of the 19th century ‘Passage Couvert’ of the Galerie Vivienne are all within five minutes by foot. The apartment itself is located adjacent to bustling cafés, the lovely 19th Century Square Louvois, the Bibliotheque Nationale (the original National Library of France), and the Rue St. Anne, which is renowned for both its stretch of Japanese restaurants and the 12 ‘Galeries de la Rue Ste Anne’. Many of the true culinary institutions of Paris are within blocks, including Le Grand Vefour, Le Grand Colbert, Chez George, La Fointaine Gaillon and Drouant. The Seine River and the Left Bank are a mere ten minutes by foot and five minutes by bike, the Pompidou is a15 minute stroll, and the Marais is an easy three stops by Metro, which itself is only three blocks from the apartment.

Whether you are visiting Paris for work or for play, Rue Rameau is the perfect apartment for the discriminating traveler – a chic, creative, elegant, spacious and ultimately relaxing alternative to the standard luxury hotel.