The heavy portal of the passage opens. After 21:00, only those with a code can enter. It was opened in 1846 by Count Félix de Jouffro-Gonsan, it was one of the most modern in the capital of that time. Its underfloor heating system, which allows pedestrians to shop, makes it the forerunner of shopping malls. Today, this thoroughfare still smells of the past, with its closed books, its bars from the Galerie Fayet and its mysterious Hotel Chopin, which opened when the passage was created. “At that time there were very few hotels in Paris, even before the arrival of the railway.”clarifies Marie-Lise Bidall, whose father, Philippe, bought the business in 1992.
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As he takes us upstairs, the young woman tells jokes. Formerly known as a family hotel, it was renamed in the 1970s after a famous composer who lived in the area. Rumor has it that she met George Sand there. “But I don’t have a few pieces of evidence to prove it to you.”, jokes the one who spent his childhood in these walls. Another peculiarity of Chopin Hotel is that it does not have a lock. Since its inauguration in 1846, the receptionist has been responsible for monitoring the facility (and the passage), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including during two world wars and Covid. Almost 63,000 consecutive days open, one hell of a record.
View over the rooftops of Paris
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In this 35-room maze after maze, here we are ahead of us. Clé 203: Red and white bedding, wall hangings, a slightly kitsch chandelier… Although the decor is basic, nothing to say about the comfort and cleanliness. Not in person either, but a bird’s-eye view of the roofs of the passage and the roofs of the Grevin Museum, which settled in the neighborhood in 1882. The noises of the city have disappeared, the silence is absolute. At dawn, a meow breaks the silence. Clarinet, a house cat, was also visibly attracted to the smell of pastries. In the room where breakfast is served, regular guests and tourists mingle in happy harmony. Here, we are sure, Paris lives again.
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Chopin Hotel. 46 section Jouffroy, 75009 Paris. Such. 01 47 70 58 10. From €120 per night, breakfast included. Dogs and cats are admitted free of charge.
Source: Le Figaro
I’m Ashley Mark, a news website author for Buna Times. I specialize in writing articles about current trends and breaking news stories. With my passion for uncovering the truth behind every story, I strive to bring readers the most up-to-date information available.