For those in the know, the very mention of the name Place Vendome is enough to make eyes shine. This Parisian square, in the centre of which is the famous Vendôme column, is the location of a number of prestigious establishments, including the capital’s leading jewellers. This has helped to make this place a symbol of French elegance in the eyes of the world. Take time to admire its facades, most of which are listed as historic monuments and, on Valentine's Day, the Hotel L'Interlude suggests you might wish to linger in front of the windows of the square’s jewellers in search of a last minute gift.
The Place Vendôme, the world capital of jewellery
The Place Vendome owes its name to the long-gone private mansion of César de Bourbon, Duke of Vendome and an illegitimate son of Henri IV, which stood on the spot in the 17th century. However, it wasn’t until 1893, nearly 200 years after the square was laid out, that the first jeweller settled there, a certain Frederic Boucheron. He was soon followed by other jewellers and craftsmen such as Louis François Cartier in 1899, Joseph Chaumet, Alfred Van Cleef and Salomon Arpels, Mauboussin, Bvlgari, Repossi, Lorenz Baümer and, most recently, Fred, which set up shop there in 1999. The Place Vendôme is rich in stories and legends. Among the Maharajahs who were accustomed to dropping in to make ‘a few purchases’, foremost was the Maharajah of Patiala. In 1928 he sent six trunks filled with diamonds and emeralds to Boucheron to be set into jewellery.
The Hotel L'Interlude invites you to discover this mythical Parisian square which, like a jewel case, encloses the most beautiful gems and most opulent finery in the world.
Exceptional jewellery
In addition to the prestige of the big names emblazoned upon these magnificent shops, it’s also the incredible skill and creativity of the jewellery artists that attracts passers-by and collectors. Precious stones and metals come to life in the hands of these exceptional craftspeople and become jewellery that sublimely enhances the beauty of the wearer.
Frédéric Boucheron and his successors built a legend by developing a trade in prestigious jewellery that crosses fashions and reinvents itself constantly, attracting royalty, celebrities and people of influence from all over the world.
Cartier, which was established in 1847, was a pioneer in the use of platinum in jewellery. Among the many famous creations of this world-famous company, the amethyst and diamond bracelet purchased by the Duke for the Duchess of Windsor in 1954 is a particular standout.
Van Cleef and Arpels, famous for the originality of its jewellery, and Mauboussin creator of the famous ‘sphere’ necklace during the Art-Deco period are also represented among the world-class jewellers of the Place Vendome, enhancing this prestigious square’s reputation as a place that embodies luxury and elegance.
