If introducing a contemporary black resin façade to the legendary Parisian pocket of Saint Germain smacks of sacrilege, the Le Montana has managed to make a statement that’s equal parts respectful and radical.
Conceived by architect Elisabeth Lemercier, the sober, street-facing building belies the whimsy inside, where the famed nightclub and restaurant, plus six new suites, have been delightfully reimagined by designer Vincent Darré.
Treating each as a guest room within a home belonging to the likes of Left Bank icons such as Serge Gainsbourg and Jean Cocteau, he adorned walls with fresco illustrations, marouflé abstractions, lacquered wood cabinetry or mirrors and metal; laid down kinetic carpeting of his own design; and punctuated the spaces with an eclectic mix of flea market treasures (from a 1930s futurist desk chair to a modular marble coffee table) plus Maison Darré collection and custom pieces. ‘You don’t refuse a project like this,’ muses Darré who says he had full carte blanche from owner and eternal bon vivant Jean-Yves Le Fur.
Meanwhile, the restaurant has been baptised La Gauche Caviar, a double entendre that once again succeeds in being simultaneously derisory (the expression corresponds to a Champagne socialist) and delicious— assuming you fancy Petrossian-supplied sustenance. If not, a rooftop sushi bar with a panoramic view from Sacré Coeur to the Tour Montparnasse will open in the spring.
ADDRESS
28 rue Saint-Benoît
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in springDreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
-
The warmth and comfort of Paris restaurant Margaux: ‘It’s like feasting at grandma’s’Located on the 16th arrondissement, Margaux dishes up timeless French classics in a setting that feels like home
-
Saint Laurent unveils Sushi Park Paris: the Los Angeles omakase’s new outpostA beloved Californian restaurant finds a second home at the Saint Laurent Rive Droite flagship, merging the worlds of haute couture and high-end gastronomy
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designThere’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Night at the museum: the best art hotels to book nowSleep amid surrealists at London’s Broadwick Soho, or wake up to contemporary favourites at New Hotel in Athens – indulge in an immersive art hotel experience
-
Shop hyperlocal gifts, from Harlem to Hawaii, at R Finds’ global online storeWallpaper* goes shopping with R Finds, Renaissance Hotels’ digital marketplace, which connects travellers – and armchair travellers – with local makers and stores, one gift at a time
-
This Italian Bistrot in Paris offers all-year-round ‘felicità’A diminutive of the Italian word for family, Miglia is a cosy trattoria radiating warmth, friendliness, and traditional flavours
