Paris's Louvre Central Post Office: A Modern Transformation
My thirteenth post features the "Paris Louvre Central Post Office." This 19th-century post office underwent a complete renovation in 2021, transforming into a mixed-use commercial building featuring a luxury hotel. As a lover of Paris, I regularly visit to study its architecture and design, both old and new. I share these discoveries of modern Parisian architecture every weekend.
The Architect: Dominique Perrault
The project was led by architect Dominique Perrault. He gained global recognition for his design of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (French National Library) and also designed the revamped Fukoku Life Insurance Building in Osaka (2010).
A Mixed-Use Space
While retaining postal services, the building now encompasses offices, commercial spaces, a luxury hotel (Madame Rêve), and restaurants, creating a vibrant cultural hub.
From the street, the historic building's facade is preserved. Inside, a public atrium showcases steel columns and trusses reminiscent of London architecture, likely due to efforts to enhance the existing building's seismic performance. This interior aesthetic is relatively rare in Paris.
Hotel Madame Rêve
The hotel entrance is located at the corner of the building. It's surprisingly small for a luxury five-star hotel with 82 rooms! The entrance lobby is also quite compact.
I hope to stay there someday, but with room rates exceeding 200,000 yen per night, it's a bit of a stretch!
Getting There
The closest metro station is Les Halles (Line 4), or Châtelet les Halles via the RER. It's within walking distance of the Louvre Museum and very close to the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection (designed by Tadao Ando).
```