Cheval Blanc Paris: Discover Modern French Palace Luxury

On the Quai du Louvre, where the Seine bends past Pont Neuf and the Louvre, Cheval Blanc Paris occupies a building that Paris waited 16 years to see again. It opened on 7 September 2021 in the riverside wing of La Samaritaine, its Art Deco façades completed in 1928 by Frantz Jourdain and Henri Sauvage. For a city that preserves, this was not a new hotel but a return.

The Foundation: La Samaritaine and a 16-Year Restoration

La Samaritaine was founded by Ernest Cognacq in 1870 and expanded over six decades into a department store that defined Parisian retail theater. The riverside wing, known as the Sauvage building, is part of the original La Samaritaine complex. Its acquisition by LVMH in 2001 and subsequent closure paved the way for a meticulous 16-year renovation. The riverside wing was set aside for the hotel with its Art Deco façades, a part of the complex completed in 1928.

Cheval Blanc Paris is the fifth property in the Cheval Blanc collection, after Cheval Blanc Courchevel opened in 2006, Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives in autumn 2013, Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France in October 2014, and Cheval Blanc St-Tropez in 2019. It is the first urban Cheval Blanc, and the brand's first city residence in the heart of Paris, the group's birthplace, with the Seine flowing along in the background.

Maison opened on 7 September 2021 and was awarded the Palace distinction in 2026, France's official recognition for hotels demonstrating exceptional character, service and cultural integration.

Architecture as Parisian Residence: Peter Marino and 72 Keys

This totally exclusive 21st-century palace was designed by American architect Peter Marino. It boasts 72 rooms and suites of unprecedented scale, 45 sqm for the smallest surface, an oversized lobby and corridors, a 30-meter-long swimming pool and views of the Seine and Left Bank that are considered among the most spectacular in Paris.

The building's décor was reimagined by Marino in the style of a Parisian residence, with the help of exceptionally skilled artists and craftsmen, while the listed structure itself was remodelled by architect Edouard François. The result is 72 accommodations — 26 rooms, 46 suites — bathed in light, from intimate hideaways to big city wonders, dedicated to the French art of living with a contemporary spirit.

Every window is a bay window. The Seine is everywhere, its reflection lapping over terraces and the all-bay-window façade. Guests wake to panoramic views of Pont Neuf, the Louvre and the Marais — a cartography that places the hotel at the confluence of historical Paris and modern effervescence.

Four Restaurants and a Dior Spa on the Seine

Cheval Blanc Paris operates 4 restaurants designed for travelers as much as for Parisians. Plénitude, the gastronomic restaurant, is awarded three Michelin stars under Chef Arnaud Donckele. Langosteria, an Italian restaurant, is located on the 7th floor. Le Tout-Paris, a contemporary brasserie, also on the 7th floor, holds one Michelin star. Hakuba, the Japanese restaurant, completes the quartet with bronze shelving and Japanese antiques handpicked by Marino.

Wellness is centered on the Dior Spa Cheval Blanc Paris, which boasts 6 treatment rooms for bespoke rituals, a gently rippling swimming pool and state-of-the-art exercise facilities. It is noted as one of the largest spas in Paris and features the city's biggest indoor hotel pool. A dedicated children's area, Le Carrousel, reinforces the family spirit central to Cheval Blanc Maisons.

"The Seine is everywhere, its reflection lapping over the terraces and the all-bay-window façade."

— TIMELESS GENIE FEEDS DESK

Practical Guidance for a Palace Stay

The official address is 8 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris, in the 1st arrondissement, a 2-minute walk from Rue de Rivoli and 6 minutes from the Louvre Museum. Enter via the Seine side for the most direct architectural reading. Request a Seine-facing suite on a higher floor for uninterrupted Pont Neuf views; lower floors capture more of the river's texture.

Dining reservations should be sequenced: Plénitude for an evening of extended tasting, Le Tout-Paris for a business lunch with natural light, Langosteria for late-afternoon Italian, Hakuba for intimate Japanese. The Dior Spa's 30-meter pool is best experienced early morning before the city wakes — a rare moment of still water in central Paris.

Editorial FAQ

When Did Cheval Blanc Paris Open?

It opened on 7 September 2021 in La Samaritaine's riverside wing, after a 16-year renovation following LVMH's acquisition in 2001, and received Palace distinction in 2026.

How Many Rooms Does Cheval Blanc Paris Have?

72 accommodations divided into 26 rooms and 46 suites, with 45 sqm for the smallest surface, designed with oversized lobbies and corridors.

Who Designed Cheval Blanc Paris?

Remodelled by Edouard François and décor reimagined by American architect Peter Marino in the style of a Parisian residence with skilled artisans and craftsmen.

What Restaurants Are At Cheval Blanc Paris?

Four restaurants: Plénitude with three Michelin stars, Langosteria Italian on the 7th floor, Le Tout-Paris brasserie with one Michelin star on the 7th floor, and Hakuba Japanese.

What Makes The Dior Spa At Cheval Blanc Paris Distinctive?

It features 6 treatment rooms, a 30-meter pool, and is recognized as one of the largest spas in Paris with the city's biggest indoor hotel pool, alongside Le Carrousel for children.

To stay at Cheval Blanc Paris is to understand that modern French palace luxury is not about adding more, but about giving more space to what already exists — the Seine, the light on the Left Bank, the silence between courses at Plénitude. On Quai du Louvre, the hotel does not compete with Paris. It frames it.