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Being First at the Westin Paris
Overheard on the coat-check line at the Louvre, one American woman to another: “Let’s lunch at Le First.” It had a ring to it; one of the rare times a sentence sounded better in English than French. Still, the eponymous (albeit bi-lingual) Le First is as Gallic a dining room as one can get. With an entrance under the arcades of the Rue de Rivoli, it is virtually around the corner from the exquisite Place Vendôme, its elegant boutiques, perfumeries, jewelry shops, and Caesar-like statue of Napoleon atop a 144 foot column that looks out over the 18th century buildings and byways of the first arrondissement. The splendid Tuileries Gardens that bank on the southern side of the Seine and extend from the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde are directly across the street from the restaurant. In a few months, it would be April in Paris; chestnuts would be in blossom. On a January afternoon, however, when we settled into a window-front table at Le First, the Garden's grassy expanse and children's carousel were covered with a fine layer of snow -- a rare sight in the City of Lights.
From our vantage point, the Tuileries appeared like an extension of Le First whether spied through a clear windowpane or viewed through a mist of sheer white curtains. The carpeting was patterned with golden vines, and mirrors reflected the wintery scene across the way. If, as the old song says, the weather outside was frightful, within all was delightful as seated in plush sofa-like seats of deep purple velvet, we drank a deep and mellow Burgundy and feasted on escargot de Bourgogne, entrecote and pommes frites -- a classic brasserie meal courtesy of the well regarded Chef Gilles Grasteau.
The candelabras are still there. So is the courtyard, albeit transformed. To come from the darkness of a winter's night into the brilliance of a glass-enclosed square in the center of the building where illuminated green and golden snowflakes are suspended in an enormous glass globe is enough to make the heart stop.
"This is our fantasy Christmas ornament," said Conor Cushnahan, front office manager, who greeted us at our arrival. "The inspiration is from Disneyland Paris and by the designer who creates special effects for Cirque du Soleil. There's always been a Christmas installation in the courtyard, but this year we wanted to do something special."
First-floor rooms have high ceilings. Fifth-floor
rooms are equipped with French doors that open to little balconies where
guests can sip their café au lait while looking down on the Place
Vendôme and the arcaded corridors across the way. Fourth-four rooms have
little alcoves under the eaves which have become cozy reading nooks. In
some rooms, there are antique chandeliers; others have curio cabinets.
There are those with fireplaces topped with marble mantles; some have
interior chimneys. All remain, undisturbed, adding an eclectic
19th-century ambience to a 21st century hotel.
During our lunch with Marie-Paule, she dwelled on the word "First" in the restaurant name. “Of course it refers to the arrondissement we are in,” the Belgian-born general manager told us. "But it also refers to what we aim for. Our goal is to be the first in everything: food, service, comfort – all the things a hotel can offer. "This is a new challenge for me," she added. "I was with Starwood (the parent company and manager of Westin) for 23 years, but all the properties were in Brussels and all of them were big. It was my dream to run a boutique property, a small jewel. Then, two years ago, I came to the Westin Paris. "I am running a big jewel. And I like it. I like the people, the staff, the guests. I have a passion for my work. I wake up in the morning happy, even with the big challenges. I love living in Paris. There is so much life in the city." She paused and smiled. "This weekend there will be a full moon. To see the full moon with the Eiffel Tower in the background -- who could ask for anything more?" Indeed. The Westin Paris Phone: +33 (0) 1 44 77 11 11 Photos by Harvey Frommer # # # About the
Authors: Myrna Katz Frommer and Harvey Frommer are a wife and husband team who
successfully bridge the worlds of popular culture and traditional scholarship.
Co-authors of the critically acclaimed interactive oral histories It Happened in
the Catskills, It Happened in Brooklyn, Growing Up Jewish in America, It
Happened on Broadway, and It Happened in Manhattan, they teach what they
practice as professors at Dartmouth College. This Article is Copyright © 1995 - 2011 by Harvey and Myrna Frommer. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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