A nerve as big as the Ritz

7/7/25 - Heritage - Paris, Place Vendôme - Place Vendôme, despite a questionable redevelopment in place for several years (poor paving, steel bollards, inelegant parking exits…), had until now remained somewhat protected from the deliberate degradation affecting all major Parisian squares, driven by the Paris City Hall under the complicit gaze of the Ministry of Culture.
That era is now over, and it is a private company – the one managing the Hôtel Ritz – that is at fault, with, of course, the Paris City Hall in the role of accomplice and the Ministry of Culture in that of Pontius Pilate.

Indeed, it was with some astonishment that people saw a bistro-style installation – in other words, a terrace – appear on Place Vendôme, of a respectable size since it covers no less than 200 m2. Its installation is scheduled from 1 July to 10 August 2025, so that everyone can enjoy a cocktail or an ice cream of their choice.
Well, “everyone” is not quite true. Because this is the Ritz, after all, and the Ritz must be earned – even when it takes over public space. Brioche sandwiches (4 pieces) are sold at the modest price of €48. A glass of Louis Roederer Rosé Champagne, also €48. A non-alcoholic cocktail is offered at €35, an alcoholic one at €38. Tapas are available from €36 and fruit cups from €25. And a simple Coca-Cola costs the modest sum of €16... Needless to say, the rabble should just move along.

That the Ritz – or any other luxury hotel – offers food and drinks at such prices is, of course, not a problem. Luxury is necessary and legitimate. What is shocking is that a square classified as a Historic Monument – one of the most important in Paris – should be confiscated in this way for the private comfort of a privileged few, all the more so given that the Ritz already benefits from an inner garden.

When we contacted them, the Ritz replied that it had obtained all the necessary authorisations and, with a straight face, added that “this action is part of [its] desire to enhance Paris and Place Vendôme.” According to the response we received from the municipality, the Paris City Hall [1] “consulted” with the Paris Centre borough mayor’s office, which “expressed the wish to enhance and enliven the square during the summer period.” Jules Hardouin-Mansart was clearly a proper fool for not having thought of that: putting a bistro on his square was surely the way to enhance it.
Fortunately, Paris City Hall and Ariel Weil, the Paris Centre mayor, clearly understood this.

The Paris City Hall, which is thus responsible for granting authorisations for temporary terraces – and we know it never needs much convincing – therefore approved this occupation of public space without batting an eye.
As for the Ministry of Culture, it replied that the Architecte des bâtiments de France (Architect of the French Historic Monuments, a territorial official responsible for regulatory oversight in protected areas), had not been consulted because, even in the case of an installation near a Historic Monument, an authorisation would only be necessary if works were involved, meaning at a minimum piercing the ground to anchor the structures.

Yet an Architect des bâtiments de France we consulted confirmed the contrary, referring us to the Urban Planning Code: namely articles R421-1, R421-5 and R421-7.
The first states that “ground-level terraces [which is the case here] are exempt from any formalities under this code [...] unless they are installed [...] within the surroundings of Historic Monuments.”
While the second article specifies that “structures installed for a period not exceeding three months” are also “exempt from any formalities under this code,” this – once again – does not apply to temporary installations within the surroundings of a Historic Monument, for which the period is limited to 15 days, as stated by the third article.
This terrace, which is indeed – as confirmed by that architect – a temporary structure, even if it is not anchored to the ground, should therefore have been subject to the binding opinion of the territorially competent counterpart.

Each actor in this sad comedy is thus playing their part: the Ritz decides to settle on Place Vendôme, where it feels somewhat at home; Paris City Hall – which never misses an opportunity to vandalise Paris or to promote the bistro industry and the ultra-wealthy who love to privatise the capital – gives its authorisation for the installation of this large terrace; and the Ministry of Culture looks the other way... It is likely, in fact, that even had it been consulted, it would have granted its approval, given how accustomed Parisian Architectes des bâtiments de France seem to be to saying yes to everything – admittedly under the close supervision of the Île-de-France Prefect.

While investigating this edifying affair, we also learned that Place Vendôme is not fully classified, unlike, for example, Place de la Concorde. Only the Vendôme Column and the façades of four buildings – nos. 3, 5, 19 and 21 – are classified, and the ground itself is not. Yet another example of the under-protection of Parisian monuments, which one can only hope will be partly remedied by the creation of a large Remarkable Heritage Site encompassing the Seine riverbanks and the first seven arrondissements – and thus Place Vendôme itself.