A Different Perspective on the Seine

At the western end of the Île de la Cité, the Pont Neuf draws Paris together: the Louvre along the Right Bank, the streets of Saint-Germain across the water, and the river carrying the eye toward the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Cheval Blanc Paris occupies the Samaritaine’s river-facing Art Deco building at this meeting point, giving its setting an unusually immediate relationship with the capital.

With 72 rooms and suites, the hotel brings considerable intimacy to an address of this scale. Peter Marino’s interiors, a Dior spa and a remarkable concentration of restaurants make it compelling for travelers who care as much about their time at the hotel as their itinerary outside it. The strongest reason to choose Cheval Blanc is how these elements work together: a morning beside the Seine, a museum visit without crossing the city, and an evening that might revolve entirely around dinner.

The Samaritaine’s Next Chapter

Opened in September 2021, Cheval Blanc Paris was the first urban property in LVMH’s Cheval Blanc collection. Its arrival brought a new use to a building already closely associated with Parisian commerce, architecture and everyday life.

The riverfront structure was designed by Henri Sauvage, whose Art Deco geometry gives it a character distinct from the Samaritaine’s better-known Art Nouveau interiors. Architects Édouard François and Peter Marino approached its transformation through the preservation of the historic exterior and the creation of contemporary spaces within. The result retains the building’s public presence while introducing the privacy expected of a small hotel.

This connection to the Samaritaine also gives a stay a useful dimension beyond accommodation. Shopping, craftsmanship and design are part of the immediate neighborhood, alongside the Louvre and the bridges that lead to the islands and Left Bank.

Peter Marino’s Parisian Collector’s House

Marino conceived the interiors with the sensibility of a collector’s residence. Marble, textured surfaces and carefully chosen furniture give the rooms visual depth, while broad windows keep the city present. The palette changes across the property, from quieter residential tones to the lively color of Le Tout-Paris.

Art extends from the façade into the private spaces. Jean-Michel Othoniel’s Les Fleurs de la Passion adds a contemporary intervention to the exterior; inside, works by artists including Georges Mathieu sit alongside specialist craftsmanship. The effect rewards attention to individual pieces rather than a hurried passage through a grand lobby.

The seventh-floor terraces offer another way to understand the address. From here, the river, bridges and rooflines become a connected panorama. For a first visit to Paris, that view establishes the city’s geography; on a return visit, it provides the pleasure of recognizing familiar places from a new angle.

From Parisian Rooms to L’Appartement

Accommodation progresses from individual rooms through junior suites, one-bedroom suites and the exceptional upper-floor residences. Views, outdoor space and the separation of bedroom and living areas matter as much as size. A higher category is not invariably larger: some of the most desirable choices trade on their outlook or balcony.

Deluxe Room: Approximately 485 sq. ft., with views toward Parisian façades, a reading and desk area, and a marble bathroom with a bathtub and hammam shower.
Deluxe Louvre Room: Approximately 485 sq. ft., with an outlook toward the Louvre Colonnade and Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, plus a separate dressing room and reading corner.
Deluxe Parisian Room: Approximately 517 sq. ft., combining a side view of the Seine with a desk, reading nook and separate dressing room.
Deluxe Balcony Room: Approximately 485 sq. ft., distinguished by a private balcony with views toward the Louvre and the Parisian skyline.
Deluxe Pont Neuf Room: Approximately 700 sq. ft., with a generous lounge area and views toward Haussmannian façades and Rue de la Monnaie.
Seine Junior Suite: Approximately 600 sq. ft., with a river-facing winter garden that creates an inviting place for breakfast or reading.
Balcony Junior Suite: Approximately 600 sq. ft., with a lounge area and a sixth-floor balcony overlooking the Seine and surrounding skyline.
Seine Suite: Approximately 1,130 sq. ft., with one bedroom and separate living and dining areas overlooking the river.
Notre-Dame Suite: Approximately 1,080 sq. ft., with one bedroom, separate living and dining spaces, and private outdoor space facing the Seine and Notre-Dame’s towers.
Eiffel Suite: Approximately 1,080 sq. ft., with one bedroom, distinct living and dining areas, and a balcony looking toward the Eiffel Tower and Seine.
Ravel Suite: Approximately 3,775 sq. ft. across two floors, with three bedrooms, reception and dining spaces, a private screening room and a terrace overlooking Paris and Notre-Dame.
Quintessence Suite: Approximately 7,000 sq. ft. across two floors, with four bedrooms, extensive reception spaces, terraces, a private swimming pool, hammam, sauna, treatment room and fitness room.
L’Appartement: Approximately 10,780 sq. ft., combining the Ravel and Quintessence Suites into a seven-bedroom residence with private access, panoramic terraces, a swimming pool, wellness facilities and a screening room.

For a couple, a Seine-facing junior suite can deliver the hotel’s defining sense of place without the scale of a full residence. For families or longer stays, a separate living room makes daily routines easier. Our team can match the precise outlook, bedroom arrangement and outdoor space to the way you intend to use the hotel.

Four Restaurants, Several Reasons to Stay In

Cheval Blanc’s dining collection deserves consideration when choosing travel dates. Arnaud Donckele’s cooking and Maxime Frédéric’s pastry work anchor a program that ranges from an extended gastronomic evening to a relaxed meal above the river.

Plénitude: Arnaud Donckele’s three-Michelin-star restaurant places sauces, broths and carefully developed flavor combinations at the center of its tasting-menu experience.
Hakuba: Awarded two Michelin stars, this Japanese restaurant brings together Takuya Watanabe’s expertise, Donckele’s work with sauces and Frédéric’s desserts in a closely choreographed dining experience.
Le Tout-Paris: The one-Michelin-star seventh-floor brasserie and cocktail bar pairs French cooking with a colorful interior, terraces and broad views over the city.
Langosteria: The Milan-born restaurant brings an Italian approach to seafood to the seventh floor, with an atmosphere suited to a lively lunch or dinner.
Carte Blanche: The hotel’s in-room dining service makes a private meal part of the accommodation experience, whether at a suite’s dining table or beside its winter garden.

Plénitude and Hakuba are best treated as planned evenings, with reservations arranged early. Le Tout-Paris offers greater flexibility across the day, while Langosteria introduces a different culinary mood during a longer stay. Leaving an evening open for a neighborhood restaurant still makes sense; Paris remains an essential part of the table.

A Dior Retreat Beneath the City

The Dior Spa Cheval Blanc Paris brings a quieter rhythm to a location surrounded by activity. Six treatment suites provide distinct settings for facials, massages and longer rituals. Treatments can be selected around the practical demands of a stay, from time to unwind after an overnight flight to a dedicated afternoon between museum visits.

A 30-meter indoor swimming pool gives swimmers room for a proper session, complemented by a sauna and hammam. The Fitness Studio is available to hotel guests around the clock, with Technogym equipment and personal training by appointment; private sessions can incorporate disciplines such as yoga, boxing and cardio.

The Rossano Ferretti salon adds cutting, styling and color services. Taken together, these facilities make the hotel particularly useful for travelers who want to maintain their usual routines while allowing time for a more considered spa experience.

Paris Begins at the Pont Neuf

The location lends itself to days organized by neighborhood. Devote one morning to the Louvre and the Palais Royal area, another to the Île de la Cité, and an afternoon to the Marais. Crossing the Pont Neuf brings the Left Bank into the same easy rhythm, with time for cafés, galleries and bookshops between planned visits.

The hotel’s bespoke experiences add a more personal perspective. Possibilities include a private Seine cruise, an expert-led visit to the Fondation Louis Vuitton and an antiques-focused outing in the Marais. Availability and access depend on the experience and date, making advance planning worthwhile for anything that is central to the trip.

A well-paced Paris itinerary benefits from restraint. Pair one substantial cultural visit with a less structured afternoon, then return in time to enjoy the hotel before dinner. Cheval Blanc’s setting makes that pattern especially rewarding.

Small Explorers at Le Carrousel

Le Carrousel gives children a place of their own within the hotel. Created for children up to age 12, its activities draw on exploration and the natural world, with an educational approach developed with sailor and environmental advocate Maud Fontenoy and her foundation.

The Little Bees’ Room caters to ages 4–7, while an underwater-themed space is designed for ages 8–12. Games, creative discoveries and hotel-arranged treasure hunts offer a welcome change of pace from adult-led sightseeing. The emphasis on oceans, wildlife and curiosity provides substance beyond a room of toys.

For families, the right schedule is as important as the room arrangement. Shorter museum visits, protected downtime and dinners timed to the children’s routine make the city more enjoyable. Our team can coordinate Le Carrousel participation and supervision arrangements for each child’s age, alongside suitable connecting accommodation or a multi-bedroom suite.

Craft, Seasonality and Environmental Curiosity

Cheval Blanc Paris’s most tangible sustainability-related initiatives connect to food sourcing and education. Its culinary philosophy emphasizes direct relationships with smaller producers and respect for seasonal availability, giving the chefs’ selection of ingredients a role beyond the finished plate.

Le Carrousel brings environmental themes into children’s activities through its collaboration with Maud Fontenoy. Learning about marine ecosystems and the natural world is built into the program rather than left as an incidental message.

The hotel also occupies an adapted historic building whose exterior has been preserved. These specific practices offer a more useful understanding of its approach than broad environmental labels, with craftsmanship, food and learning providing the clearest points of connection for a guest.

Paris Planned Around Your Access Needs

Cheval Blanc Paris welcomes travelers with reduced mobility, with access to the hotel, its restaurants and the Dior Spa. A central address also makes it possible to organize shorter outings with comfortable returns to the property between visits.

Our team approaches accessibility at the level of the individual stay: selecting the appropriate accommodation, confirming bathroom arrangements and thresholds, and coordinating vehicles and assistance around each traveler’s requirements. Pool access and any equipment needs are addressed specifically, alongside hearing or vision-related preferences.

For excursions, the route matters as much as the destination. Riverside walks, historic streets and museum visits should be planned with surfaces, distances and entry arrangements in mind, creating a Paris itinerary that remains enjoyable throughout the day.

The Seine Through the Seasons

Spring and early autumn lend themselves to days that alternate between museums and walks, with terrace time when the weather cooperates. Summer brings longer evenings and a different pace, while winter shifts the emphasis toward exhibitions, dining and the spa.

Restaurant schedules deserve particular attention. Plénitude and Hakuba generally serve dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and several venues take summer breaks. A stay centered on a specific dining experience should be built around its operating calendar, especially in August.

Fashion weeks, major exhibitions and festive periods can also shape availability. Planning ahead gives more choice among rooms with the desired view and allows the most important reservations to be settled before the rest of the itinerary takes form.

Plan Your Stay With Destinations by David

Cheval Blanc Paris participates in Virtuoso, complementing Destinations by David’s Virtuoso affiliation with a relevant booking relationship at the property. Our team can help secure an eligible reservation and explain the arrangements available for your dates and chosen accommodation, with benefits and conditions discussed privately.

The value of that planning extends across the stay. Choosing between a winter garden and a balcony, matching a suite to the people traveling, and placing Plénitude or Hakuba on the right evening all influence how the trip feels.

Contact us to plan and book Cheval Blanc Paris as a dedicated city escape or as part of a wider journey through France. We will bring the accommodation, dining, cultural visits and transportation into one considered itinerary.

The Journey to Quai du Louvre

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport: Allow approximately 45–60 minutes by car to Cheval Blanc Paris in typical traffic, with additional time during busy periods.
Paris Orly Airport: The journey is approximately 30–45 minutes by car, depending on traffic and the route into central Paris.
Private Hotel Transfer: Our team can coordinate a chauffeured arrival with the hotel, allowing approximately 45–60 minutes from Charles de Gaulle or 30–45 minutes from Orly, before traffic delays.
Airport Taxi: An official taxi provides a direct journey to 8 Quai du Louvre, with broadly the same road times as a private transfer.
Arrival by Train: From Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon or Gare Montparnasse, allow roughly 15–35 minutes by car in ordinary conditions, with longer journeys possible at peak times.
Getting Around Paris: Pont Neuf on Métro Line 7 and Louvre–Rivoli on Line 1 are the nearest stations, while a private driver can simplify more widely spaced appointments.

Paris traffic can add significantly to these estimates. Build in a generous margin for airport departures and coordinate luggage, child seats and mobility requirements before travel.

A Paris Stay With the River in View

Cheval Blanc Paris is most persuasive when its address and its interiors become part of the same experience. The city remains close through a window, across a bridge or from a terrace table, while the hotel provides the space to pause between encounters with it. For travelers drawn to contemporary design, serious dining and a central base with an intimate scale, this is a distinctive way to make Paris feel both expansive and personal.

LEARN MORE

Paris, France | Cheval Blanc Paris