A three-century old building block in the centre of Paris formerly used by the French top brass is undergoing a three-year transformation to put it on the global luxury map.
By 2027, a complex hosting a five-star hotel, private residences, restaurants and spas that is 'sans parallele' will pull back the drapes.
Developers claim the French capital has no equivalent luxury hospitality complex to the Maybourne Saint Germain. It is unique by its size - the floor area is 28,000 square metres. In a prime location near the Seine river, the Orsay Museum and the National Assembly are nearby.
"It's the first branded residence scheme ever in Paris," said Charlie Walsh, global head of residential sales for Maybourne, a British luxury hotel operator that will manage the Paris site and also runs Claridge's in London. "You get the 24/7 services that you expect in places like London, New York, Dubai and Abu Dhabi."
The entrance to the Maybourne Saint-Germain. Photo: Maybourne
First built as a convent for poor girls in the 17th century, the building hosted historic figures such as the Marquise de Montespan, a favourite of King Louis XIV, before becoming a Defence Ministry office after the French Revolution.
In 1881, its eastern portion was added with a 22-metre clocktower as a centrepiece, at a time when
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