Opening - Domaine de la Reine Margot

Architecture

News

On September 21, the Domaine de la Reine Margot hotel was inaugurated in Issy-les-Moulineaux, in the presence of the town's mayor André Santini and Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of the Accor Group. After nearly four years of work since the laying of the foundation stone in December 2019, Jean-Michel Wilmotte and his team attended the opening of the doors of this new establishment, which promises to become the jewel in the crown of the hotel industry.

Conceived as a veritable journey through time, Domaine de la Reine Margot represents a unique link between history and the present, both architecturally and in the experience it offers guests through its various living spaces. The architectural project, carried out by Wilmotte & Associés Architectes, involved the renovation of a 17th-century building and the construction of a new one. All existing buildings were preserved, structurally reinforced and fully restored.

To accommodate the hotel program, a new building was designed, integrating perfectly with the existing building. This construction was built at the top of the site, along the upper terrace, and discreetly nestled behind a row of newly planted trees. The aim was to find the perfect proportion, particularly for the north façade, which offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding park. The facades of the new building feature a contemporary architectural style while respecting the proportions of the existing building.

Attention to detail doesn’t stop at the exterior. The hotel’s interior architecture reflects the characteristic Mgallery aesthetic, using warm, noble materials such as solid wood, stone, marble and a rich color palette. The design team sought to maintain a sober elegance while highlighting striking elements. The corridors, reception areas and some of the bedrooms are finished in beautiful, lightly greyed oak wood, creating a warm ambience. The diamond patterns of the carpets, from the room entrances to the windows, guide the eye outwards.

The history of Reine Margot, patron of the arts and former occupant of the château on the site of the present-day Saint-Sulpice seminary, is also subtly highlighted. Extracts from her correspondence have been reused, showcasing her calligraphy and creating a play of wall quotations in each of the hotel’s rooms. In the gallery linking the old building to the new, two carefully chosen poems run from floor to ceiling, and can be read in either direction. An iconography based on portraits of the Queen and her costumes is also present, with portraits of the Queen in the rooms on the ground, first and second floors of the new building, as well as raised collar motifs and reminders on the moldings.