Boucheron Renovates Place Vendôme Flagship
A JEWEL OF A BUILDING: Boucheron’s historic Paris flagship, a mansion located at 26 Place Vendôme, is about to get a renovation. Kering, Boucheron’s parent company, has filed for a building permit at Paris City Hall, and the project will be led by Michel Goutal, chief architect for historic monuments.
The renovation is timed to Boucheron’s 160th anniversary. The Place Vendôme maison hasn’t always been the brand’s home, but it has resided there since 1893, when founder Frédéric Boucheron chose the location, originally named Hôtel la Nocé. The idea is to highlight and preserve the building’s historic architecture, while complying with Kering’s commitment to environmental standards.
The site of scaffolding will be familiar to those familiar with Place Vendôme. Maintaining one of of Paris’ most beautiful and historic squares requires upkeep, especially in recent years. The Ritz Hotel reopened last year after a four-year renovation that coincided with the restoration of the Colonne Vendôme, the plaza’s centerpiece, which was also financed by the Ritz. The 145-foot column was built in 1810 as a military tribute to Napoleon I. The luxury plaza famed for jewelers and watchmakers is also home to Chanel, Chaumet, Dior, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lorenz Bäumer, Louis Vuitton, Repossi, Breguet and Van Cleef & Arpels. The latter two also underwent renovations in the last few years.
The Boucheron flagship is but one of several major restoration projects involving historic buildings that Kering has undertaken, including 40 Rue de Sèvres, the former Laennec Hospital, which now houses Kering’s headquarters and Balenciaga’s offices. Then there’s the Pentemont Abbey complex on Rue de Bellechasse, which is being renovated for Saint Laurent’s headquarters.
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