View from the Back
Ramblings of a retiree in France
Thursday doors #322
Given my recent trip to Paris, you might expect that these would be Parisian Portes but no, I’m still featuring Spanish, Italian and French doors from my trips last year.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments’ on Dan’s site, anytime between Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American Eastern Time).
Trip to La Reserve Hotel & Spa
You might be aware that I love popping into Paris’ luxury hotels for refreshments and lunch. I try to visit a new one each trip and this time it was the turn of the ultra-discreet La Réserve, a palace hotel opened in 2015. and housed in an 1854 Haussmannian mansion. It was acquired by Michel Reybier – more about him in this weekend’s French Fancies – in 2009 who then undertook a major renovation led by designer Jacques Garcia.
How it all began
The Haussmannian mansion was built in 1854 for the Duc de Morny, Napoleon III’s half-brother. In 1888 the building transitioned from the Morny family to other aristocratic residents before being converted into apartments.
In the 1960s it became a hotel residence for Pierre Cardin’s company until 1991 when he turned it into the “Residence Hotel Maxim’s”.
Businessman Michel Reybier purchased the property in 2009 and began planning its restoration. La Réserve Paris officially opened its doors on 19 January 2015 after a restoration led by architects Bach & Nguyen and interior designer Jacques Garcia.
The following year, the hotel was awarded the prestigious “Palace” distinction, the highest honour for a French hotel.
Located on Avenue Gabriel, a leafy side street, you’re still within easy walking distance to the Place de la Concorde as well as the boutiques of Rue Saint-Honoré and Avenue Montaigne. There are no flags outside, no imposing entrance, no lobby with hovering staff, just a gorgeous red door.
The atmosphere is akin to a discreet, private club, where La Réserve’s contemporary yet timeless interior pays homage to the Belle Époque — filled with antiques, elegant fabrics, regal colours and soft lighting. It’s really rather cosy.
With just twenty-six individually decorated suites and fourteen rooms, even the smallest one is the size of a standard Parisian apartment. And when you book a room or a suite, a dedicated butler is assigned to you to manage every detail of your daily life in Paris. I’m not sure I could cope with this intrusion. I love, love planning our trips to Paris.
La Réserve takes discretion to another level. Most of the hotel’s amenities — the library, spa and candlelit swimming pool, and fumoir (smoking room) — are mainly off-limits to non-guests. This rather limited my ability to have a good mooch.
On the premises is a full-service spa, a large indoor pool, an outdoor patio and two restaurants — La Pagode de Cos, where we ate a delicious lunch, and the Michelin 2* Le Gabriel.
The interiors might look antique, but only the carved marble fireplace is original. With its fabulously opulent interiors with gilded rococo reliefs, antique mirrors, parquet floors and soft furnishings of damask, taffeta and velvet, it feels more like a grand apartment than a hotel – a home from home in Paris.
The elegant Library is open only to guests of the hotel during the day and is a tranquil place to read and repose, with a view out onto an interior courtyard fitted with metal armchairs, clean white cushions and matching parasols.
If you read my post about Paris Deco Off, you’ll know that the hotel’s decor is very of the moment, yet timeless.
All images courtesy of La Reserve et moi
Trip to RH, Champs-Élysées
A furniture shop may not seem like a must-visit destination in Paris, but the new RH Paris is much more than just a furniture store. It’s gallery, restaurants and garden are so distinctive, beautiful and grand that the complex – despite its American roots – doesn’t seem out of place on the Champs-Élysées alongside French icons such as Dior, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.
How it all began
Stephen Gordon founded Restoration Hardware in Eureka, California, in 1979 while doing up a Victorian home and discovering affordable, high-quality hardware and fixtures hard to find. The company expanded slowly in Northern California and Boston before raising outside capital from Cardinal Investments which allowed it to accelerate its expansion. The company had 47 stores when it went public in 1998, ending the year with over 65 stores.
In 2001, Gary Friedman joined the company from Williams-Sonoma as Chief Executive Officer when Restoration Hardware’s sales were waning and the company was seeking additional capital. Gordon left in 2005. In 2007, Sears Holdings Corporation purchased 13.7% of the shares of Restoration Hardware, prompting speculation that Sears might attempt a full takeover. But the company instead joined forces with Catterton Partners and took Restoration Hardware private in 2008.
In 2012, Restoration Hardware underwent an initial public offering, and was renamed RH. The company concentrated its energies on expanding its product offering and outlets globally.
RH has now grown far beyond its retail beginnings to become the unofficial ambassador of American interior design abroad, recognised for its large-scale furnishings, quiet luxury, international reach and unmistakable sophistication.
Its Parisian outpost sits at one of the most coveted addresses on the Champs-Élysées, right on the corner of Avenue Montaigne. The building, at 23 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, was commissioned in 1983 by French aviation engineer Marcel Dassault.
RH’s transformation, six years in the making, completely reinvented the property, erasing every trace of the building’s former life.
The original gilded wrought iron gates that surround the property, open onto a long limestone path lined with manicured hedges, giving the impression you are walking through a private estate rather than stepping into a shop.
Monumental 6 metres (19ft) bronze medallion doors, discovered by Dassault’s son during his travels, set a dramatic backdrop for the shop’s entrance where there’s a representation of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man – a signature dedication in all of RH’s galleries.
A rare 1521 edition of De Architectura and volumes by Da Vinci, Palladio, and Haussmann are on display near the entrance, grounding the project in architectural history. Seven levels of the gallery rise around a central staircase of frosted glass and ornate brass balustrades, plus a Foster + Partners designed modern glass lift, operated by a member of staff. At the centre of the gallery stands a bronze Caryatid by Louis Félix Chabaud. Each floor showcases bespoke art from different artists.
RH has also extended its brand into hospitality, with three very different venues to choose from. We enjoyed lunch at Le Jardin RH, also designed in partnership with Foster + Partners, a striking homage to the nearby Grand Palais.
Le Petit RH sits two levels up where it glows with champagne lacquered walls and a ceiling of more than seven thousand handblown glass polyhedra. The Le Petit RH Rooftop and its manicured terrace with far reaching views across Paris, crowns the experience.
On the third floor, The World of RH Bar and Lounge showcases highlights from other RH destinations around the world and doubles as a space for clients to take in a glass of wine while working with their interior designer.
RH is very deliberate and thoughtful about where it positions its gallery locations, often planning and building for many years to create unforgettable destinations. The company’s goal is to attract both visitors and local residents through their aspirational but shoppable galleries, creating environments that embody the richness of a museum while also allowing the experience to extend into customers’ homes. In Paris they certainly seem to have gotten their location right.
RH Paris proves that design is no longer just about furniture. It is about lifestyle, hospitality, and how we want to live. The scale is impressive at more than 4,000 sq metres (40,000 sq ft) but what stays with you is the ambition and the experience – an American vision of design planted right in the middle of Europe’s most iconic avenue.
All images courtesy of RH et moi
Musical Monday: Soundtracks #5
I’ve reported on a whole variety of songs: ones by artists I’ve seen live, covers, duets and those deemed iconic. I’m now turning my attention to what might be called “Soundtracks” those featured in films, television shows and advertisements.
As always, don’t forget to let me know your thoughts.
Advertisements for motor vehicles often feature the best sound tracks. Bold and rebellious, Volkswagen captured the spirit of the T-Roc in this 2018 campaign using the rock anthem Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz.
Born confident. The new Volkswagen T-Roc is an authentic SUV bringing a very expressive design to the streets.
It would appear that VW were keen to get their money’s worth from Mr Kravitz. Here’s another VW ad, this time from South Africa, using the same track.
While researching this I found what is probably one of the best VW adverts ever albeit to a Barry Manilow soundtrack – can’t have everything!
The Numbers Game 30, Monday 23 February, 2026
Today’s lucky number yielded 122 photos from which I’ve selected 6 at random.
The challenge is kindly hosted by Life Lessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
To play along, go to your WP Media file and type that number (234) into the search bar. Then post a selection of the photos you find including that number and post a link to your blog in Judy’s Numbers Game blog of the day – easy!
French Fancies: Le Prince Jardinier
This company had a pop-up shop next to Le musée national Eugène Delacroix during Paris Deco Off, and we just happened to pop in!
Le Prince Jardinier (The Gardener Prince) is both a lifestyle brand and the nickname of Louis Albert de Broglie, a French aristocrat who transformed his passion for nature into a luxury label and a mission for biodiversity.
How it all began
Louis Albert de Broglie grew up in Paris, a graduate of ISG (Higher Institute of Management), then worked as a banker at Paribas for seven years, between 1985 and 1992. During this period, he spent two years in India and several months in Latin America. He then switched to working on capital debt conversions, particularly in Mexico in the hospitality sector.
In 1992, he bought Chateau de la Bourdaisière, located in Touraine, in the heart of the Loire. It is classified as a historical monument and he’s turned into a hotel. But it’s rather more than that as it has become a laboratory and a place for experimentation for de Broglie. He began to collect and plant a collection of tomatoes in 1992 which became, in 1996, the National Conservatory of Tomato – approved by the CCVS (Conservatory of Specialized Plant Collections) – where about 700 different varieties are grown.
He’s turned the hotel’s conservatory into a Tomato Bar that offers simple dishes and juices made from tomatoes grown in the vegetable garden.
This interest in biodiversity has also led de Broglie to create a garden of more than 300 kinds of Dahlias (called Dahliacolor) with an orchard with nearly 80 varieties of collectible fruit trees in the park of the Château de la Bourdaisière.
Friends gave Prince Louis Albert de Broglie the nickname of Le Prince Jardinier in 1991 when he began creating the National Tomato Conservatory at his family estate.
The brand, founded in 1995, is a natural extension of his interests. It offers high-end products that combine utility with a refined, timeless aesthetic. Such as:-
- Gardening Gear: Iconic high-quality tools, including brass-edged planters, stainless steel watering cans and wood-handled pruners.
- Gardener’s Wardrobe: A “chic but committed” clothing line featuring linen aprons, work jackets, vests and straw hats inspired by traditional garden attire.
- Home & Fragrance: The brand includes scented candles (notably tomato-leaf scented), perfumes and garden furniture like the “Mobilier Mémoire” collection of restored Parisian park chairs.
The brand promotes biodiversity, organic gardening principles, and no-till agriculture. The brand has a boutique in Paris and its products are sold in over 200 locations across 15 countries. Le Prince Jardinier combines a passion for heritage, horticulture, and high-end design, making it a prominent name in luxury gardens.
In 2001, De Broglie purchased and revitalised Deyrolle, the legendary Parisian natural history institution known for its taxidermy and educational posters. Le Prince Jardinier’s flagship shop is located within the Deyrolle shop at 46 Rue du Bac in the 7th arrondissement.
All images courtesy of Le Prince Jardinier
The Musette: Roast Carrots, tomatoes and chickpea salad
Carrots have a reputation for being a bit bland and boring, but when you roast them in the oven, they become something magical; the sugars caramelise, the edges catch and turn crunchy and a deep savouriness emerges. Pair them with the sharp twang of pickled onion, crispy chickpeas, roasted cherry tomatoes and lots of fresh parsley, and you have a bright, colourful salad made from the most humble ingredients.
Ingredients (serves 2)
Semi-dried tomatoes:
- 500g (4 cups) cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
Roasted carrots:
- 10 heritage carrots, washed and scrubbed
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Roasted chickpeas:
- 400g (1 1/2 cups) cooked chickpeas
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Pickled red onion:
- 1 medium red onion
- 60ml (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar
- 60ml (1/4 cup) water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 5 black peppercorns
- 5 coriander seeds
Sumac dressing:
- 4 tsp sumac
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 120ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
- salt, to taste
Serve:
- handful, chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200ºC/180°C fan/390°F/gas mark 6. Slice carrots in half lengthways, then toss them in oil, salt, pepper and ground cumin. Arrange them cut side up in a large roasting tin, and roast in the top of the oven for 40 minutes until tender.
2. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and arrange them neatly, cut side up on a baking tray. Dress each cut side with a drizzle of olive oil, a drop of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt, and roast on the bottom shelf of the oven for 30-45 minutes until the tomatoes are starting to shrivel and dry out.
3. Drain the chickpeas, then rinse thoroughly and dry on kitchen towel. Toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper and smoked paprika, and roast on the middle shelf of the oven for around 30 minutes, until golden and crispy.
4. Whilst everything else is roasting, pickle the onion. Half and slice your red onion into paper-thin half rings, and put in the bottom of a heatproof bowl. Combine the white wine vinegar, water, sugar, peppercorns and coriander seeds in a small pan, bring to the boil, then pour over the red onion. Leave to pickle for 15–30 minutes.
5. Combine the sumac, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in a bowl and whisk together to make the dressing.
6. Once all of the elements are cooked, bring them together. Arrange carrots on a plate, then scatter the semi-dried tomatoes, chickpeas and pickled onions on top. Finish with a handful of picked parsley, a drizzle of sumac dressing and a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Serve warm or just at room temperature.
Friday’s Tall Tales #140
Whenever I photograph a door or gate I wonder about its provenance, who and what has happened across said door or gate, and what lies beyond.
I thought I might pick one from my sextet of Thursday’s Doors and tell you a bit more about it or……maybe even weave a story about it.
I love, love stationery shops!
In 1856 a young couple from Capellades (Barcelona) called José Ferrer y Poch and Josefa Vidal Fragoso, arrived in Seville on the way to Cádiz and from there embark for a new life and their fortune in America.
The ship only sailed twice a year and, for unknown reasons, the couple missed the next sailing and decided to set up shop in Seville for the next six months while awaiting the next sailing.
They rented a small place at number 5 of Sierpes Street and dedicated themselves to doing what they knew best: making ink so that others could write.
Mid-19th century Seville became their “America” and they decided to stay to transmit from generation to generation their love for quality paper and multi-coloured inks. The business was inherited by their son, Federico Ferrer Vidal, and he in turn transmitted this love to his children, Manuel and Adolfo Ferrer González.
Estrella Ferrer, the fourth generation, had to face a period of great change when the keyboard took over from the pen. To counter this the business turned to speciality products: Japanese writing tools, branded fountain pens and inks, beautiful Hungarian paper, handmade French bindings, diaries with leather and bronze covers topped with beautiful Italian goldsmithing. Plus, all the iconic desk accessories for which Spain is renowned. Seems to have done the trick.
Flora and Fauna Friday #140
This post is my weekly homage to my parents who both enjoyed having a beautiful garden. In particular, they loved sitting and watching the wild life enjoy their garden.
Thursday doors #321
Given my recent trip to Paris, you might expect that these would be Parisian Portes but no, I’m still featuring Spanish doors from my trip to Seville earlier last year.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing your link in the comments’ on Dan’s site, anytime between Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American Eastern Time).
View from the Back 
