Commissioned by Louis XV, the 550-room Hôtel de la Marine’s, is an 18th century palace which, for the 250 years, served as the headquarters of the French Navy. Located on the Place de la Concorde between the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries gardens, and designed by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, it opened in 1774 as the "Hôtel du Garde-meuble"—a repository of royal furniture, jewelry, art, tapestries, and armaments. Close to the public over more than 200 years the Palace has now reopened after a four-year restoration. But much more than a royal storage house the Palace, the 18th-century apartments (once occupied by the Baron de Ville d’Avray, the royal steward and his wife under Louis XVI) and the 19th-century reception rooms have been carefully restored by the Centre des Monuments Nationale.

Taking part in the project were more than 1,000 people in 50 different trades, including gilders, upholsterers, smiths, and carpenters. The visitor tours are enhanced by a “Confident” audio guide in the form of a headset featuring an immersive, 3D aural experience whereby sounds follow the movements of your head and historical characters guide you (in 9 languages) through your visit with stories and descriptions of each sumptuous space including the open loggia on the Place de La Concorde.

Finally, the exhibition gallery of the Hôtel de la Marine presents for the first time permanently a renewed collection of masterpieces from the eclectic Al Thani Foundation Collection and spans from ancient to modern times, including jewelry, decorative arts, paintings and drawings.

Dine

Once you’ve had your culture fix head to one of two very stylish onsite dining options offered by Hotel de la Marine - Café Lapérouse Concorde, with its chicly decorated outdoor terrace or the the more formal Mimosa, helmed by acclaimed Michelin-starred chef, Jean-François Piège. Backed by LVMH scion Antoine Arnault, Café Lapérouse features of two chicly decorated covered terraces (overlooking the Luxor Obelisk) plus a dining room, bar, wine cellar, gourmet market, and ice cream and chocolate shop all glamorously outfitted by Cordélia de Castellane in 18th century-inspired décor and colorful prints. Housed in the site’s former stables, Mimosa is a light-filled contemporary space that perfectly pairs with the restaurant’s Mediterranean cuisine.

TNE Essentials

The Hôtel de la Marine is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Late-night closure of 10 p.m. on Fridays.) The inner courtyard is open from 8.00am to midnight. The book and gift shop is open daily from 11.00 a.m. to 7.15 p.m. from Saturday to Thursday and from 11.00 a.m. to 10.15 p.m. on Fridays.

Find more information on rates and how to visit here.