Paris1972-Versailles2003

This is a short grand street of my eternal Paris. I have written before but have new text with older new pictures found. This is the street I worked for several years while in the deluxe hotel management business. Let me tell you about the rue de Castiglione of Paris!!!

The rue de Castiglione is a street on thequartier Place-Vendôme of the 1éme arrondissement. A street full of wonders architecturally,historically, and as said personal with still many friends there who are in touch. The street starts at the rue de Rivoli side with the wonderful Jardin des Tuileries and goes to the rue Saint Honoré just before the Place Vendôme.It is located in the neighborhood or quartier Place Vendôme and the 1er district or arrondissement of Paris.

This street honors the victory won by General Napoleon Bonaparte over the Austrians on August 5, 1796 at Castiglione delle Stiviere. On October 9, 1801, the Consuls of the French Republic decide: Article 1. A street will be drilled in line with that of Place Vendôme, on the Feuillants and Manège grounds to the Tuileries terrace. Article 2. The surrounding houses and land, made available to the government by law December 14, 1795, will be sold by auction through the estate management, with the responsibility of the purchasers to build on the plans and facades given by the government architect , etc. The first Consul, signed Napoleon Bonaparte. The street took its current name as soon as it opened.

The story goes of the fame of this street that one fine day in 1896, a light operator transported his enormous camera to this famous rue de Castiglione.  The perspective, with its depth of field, were then perceived as essential elements to reinforce the illusion of reality of the cinematograph . But in reality, what changed rue de Castiglione when in 1972 and 1986, a lover of the Lumière brothers chose to reproduce this view identically!

Since then, the rue de Castiglione has displayed incomparable luxury. Gone are the unusual days of Salvador Dali firing pistols and running herds of goats in the halls of the establishment. And the Vendôme column, now appearing as the essential and symbolic decoration of this so upscale neighborhood.

This was the old passage des Feuillants. The Benedictine monks of the Feuillants convent improved their ordinary life by renting investment houses (some still exist between numbers 235 and 229 rue Saint-Honoré). In 1791, the Club des Feuillants had established itself in the convent: there were good people there, dissidents of the Jacobins to follow the theories of La Fayette, Bailly, Sieyès or Talleyrand.

Some of the main things for me to see here are at No. 3: The Marriott Westin Paris – Vendôme hotel (this was the old Intercontinental Paris Hotel or L’Inter as we called it, where my hotel management job was base)  No 7: the Le Lotti hotel which is located on the site of the former Jacobin convent. No 10: the Countess of Castiglione. No 14: the famous restaurant Le Carré des Feuillants, directed by chef Alain Dutournier from the Relais & Châteaux chain, restaurant awarded the Michelin Guide. Also located at this address is Maison Agry, a heraldic engraving company.

One good reason to be there, see my posts. The Paris tourist office on the Westin Vendôme: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-hotel-accommodation/67988/The-Westin-Paris-Vend%C3%B4me

There you go folks, short and sassy on a wonderful street of Paris, my street for several years which I enjoyed fully and do so again when in Paris. Hope you like this brief walk in my rue de Castiglione ,old hangout with many memories ; the walk is short, the memories are long. This is my eternal Paris and lucky to see it often still today.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!