Flybe / June 2018

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32 JUNE
HOTEL TIME CONCIERGE
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““The cosy bar runs with an honesty box if no-one is around, and breakfast features croissants
worthy of the hotel’s origins...”
Choosing where to stay in Paris can be bewildering, says Stan Abbott. Step forward Hôtel
du Petit Moulin in the characterful Le Marais district
Quirky designer style
There must be thousands of hotels in
Paris – a huge proportion of which remain
independently owned and run.
With the big chains you do know what to
expect, but for character and a closer feel for
the city, I go independent every time.
My most recent was the Hôtel du Petit
Moulin, in the increasingly popular district of
Le Marais. It is distinguished by its officially-
protected 1900 baker’s shop façade but this
does no more than hint at its quirky, yet
opulent, interior.
I’ve stayed in many small hotels across Paris
but, for me, Le Marais – which has been slowly
transforming itself in recent years – is the best
choice if you want a characterful environment
with plenty going on.
What sets Le Marais apart from much
of central Paris is that it remains largely
unchanged, having not been reshaped by
Haussman and his grand boulevards. Once
the playground of royalty and aristocracy,
Le Marais fell on hard times for more than a
century until it was designated a conservation
area in 1965. Its subsequent renaissance has
gathered pace more recently.
All of the Hôtel du Petit Moulin’s 16 rooms
and one junior suite have been individually
conceived by the fashion designer, Christian
Lacroix, and while some are bright and super-
brash, my own was almost monochrome:
wallpaper featuring castles, galleons and
mariners and covering even the doors (which
can be a little confusing!).
In marked contrast, above the bedhead
was a stylised night sky, complete with
shooting star and moonscape. The air con was
quietly discreet; the bathroom delightfully
shabby chic, with a large and inviting tub.
The cosy bar runs with an honesty box
if no-one is around, and breakfast features
croissants worthy of the hotel’s origins.
Guests also enjoy use of the spa at sister
hotel, Le Pavillon de la Reine, also in Le Marais.
Indeed this hotel is one of a set of three
created by the Chevalier family, the third being
Le Pavillon des Lettres, which I enjoyed on a
previous visit.
The immediate area is home to some of the
capital’s most enticing museums and galleries,
including the Picasso gallery, which is currently
(to the end of July) hosting an excellent
exhibition on the story behind the artist’s
iconic work, Guernica. The hotel will sell you a
ticket to save queuing.
Just around the corner is the historic Place
de la Bastille, while the Pompidou Centre and
Victor Hugo’s wonderfully-eclectic house (he’s
said to have bought his bread here) are also
close by.
Overnight rates, including breakfast, from
€215 per room represent good value for the
location and the rather special experience.
Hôtel du Petit Moulin
29/31 rue de Poitou
75003 Paris