Hotel Le Lapin Blanc, Paris 5th arr.
Follow the White Rabbit with me and visit Hotel Le Lapin Blanc, Paris, France…
Hotels anywhere in the world can be glum - even in the City of Light. So it was a happy day when I discovered a boutique hotel in the Old Quarter of Paris which satisfied our search for fun, adventure and style - with the added bonus of making one little girl’s dreams of Paris even more magical…
Travelling with a tween daughter requires imagination and attitude. Our long-awaited (and much anticipated) trip to Paris was getting so close on the calendar we could (literally speaking) smell the French cheese and baguettes! But the lure of bread and cheese was not going to satisfy this eleven year old who had been longing to visit the city of light where promises of wonderment, art, food and general awe-inspiring fashion and culture had been guaranteed by her parents. This fairytale city needed to live up to expectations.
Being a firm believer in the travel experience including where you lay your head at night, I was somewhat curious upon discovering a boutique hotel called ‘The White Rabbit’ Add to this my keen love of literature, architecture and art and you can imagine my reaction when I read the website: “Hôtel Le Lapin Blanc is a collaboration between an artist and architect.” Already it was sounding marvellous. Even architect Mr M’s interest was piqued.
To mark the 150th Anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s classic “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and Miss S’s Birthday dream to go to Paris, our family decided to step down the rabbit hole on our trip to the City of Light and experience some magic - even when we weren’t exploring all that Paris had to offer.
Stepping down the rabbit hole at Hotel le Lapin Blanc, Paris
Our taxi from the Gare du Nord had a sun roof so we were treated to expansive views of Paris as we drove over the bridge to the Left Bank. Soon we were pulling up to a tiny double door entrance on Boulevard Saint-Michel. 1, 2, 3 cabin bags out of the car and we were about to step into the unknown….
The outward-opening doors were our first surprise - creating a little theatre to our entrance - by opening silently as we approached. “Ooooo!,” said Miss S.
The entrance to Le Lapin Blanc transported us into an enchanting world: candy coloured floor tiles led to a curved concierge desk. The delightful Elvira welcoming us added instantly to the charm.
The visual cues of the enchanting theme continued: reflecting in the mirror in the entrance hall was a quote (in French, bien sûr) from the opening chapter of Lewis Carrol’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: “Alice jumped to her feet, quickened by the idea that she had never seen a rabbit wearing a waistcoat with a pocket watch…A moment later, Alice was chasing the rabbit down a hole in the ground without a thought.” *
““Alice sauta sur ses pieds, frappée de cette idée que jamais elle n’avais vu de lapin avec un gousset et une montre…Un instant aprés, Alice était á poursuite du lapin dans le terrier sans sanger comment elle en sortierait.” *”
Just like Alice, and with Miss S’s pockets full of bon bons from the front desk, we ventured into another rabbit hole of sorts. Squeezing into the tiny elevator (yes, they do have one!) and emerging onto the top floor of this little hotel to a charming room with views at both ends.
Another delightful surprise awaited us as we had been given an upgrade to their newly refurbished Penthouse suite. Bravo!
Hotel Le Lapin Blanc Penthouse Main Bedroom
Colourful macarons under glass domes greeted us with the words ‘EAT ME!’ - another reference to the little bottle with the words ‘DRINK ME’ in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - and little white porcelain cups with rabbit tails as handles sat alongside a cute white hexagonal box with ‘LLB’ inscribed on the top. What could be inside? Upon inspection we found coffee capsules, herbal teas and little sachets de sucre organique.
Curiouser and curiouser!
Miss S had her own little bed under a slanted ceiling with double windows which opened out to a view of the beautiful domed rooftop of the Sorbonne University. She opened her windows and gazed out over the scene in wonderment.
Walking through the calming blue-grey hued room to the light-filled main bedroom quaint details were exposed: irregular paved tiles changed to a carpet border on the floor; cute white ceramic pendant lights slung low over the bedside tables; a sculptural fine wool covered bed head and elegantly dressed bed; a delightful retro phone straight out of a 50’s movie; a little desk and side chair with rounded back rest.
There was a little bit of magic everywhere you turned - from the whimsically patterned wallpapers to the diamond tile patterns in the bathrooms - all little details which added delight and nuance to the magical theme.
Floor-length white curtains filtered the Parisian light from two double windows which opened to reveal views over the rooftops of Paris out to Sacré-Coeur and a view of the Basilica. These added a sophistication and a nod to the traditional exterior of the building so at once you felt grounded in the heart of the 5th arrondissement in Paris, yet somehow transported to another world…
View from main bedroom window
Paris Rooftops and view of the Sorbonne Cupola
“Curiouser and curiouser! ”
Taking the winding staircase downstairs was an adventure: colourful carpets delineated each flight: duck-egg blue, dusky pink, tourmaline green, eggplant, smoky blue and soft, buttery yellow carpets guided us down to the foyer which was tiled in polished squares pixellated in similar hues.
Stepping into the small vestibule/waiting area by the front desk we found a little bookshelf filled with a twist on Alice in Wonderland story books and objets plus a chance to spot the White Rabbit.
Continuing our adventure down underground we took the multi-coloured tiled staircase down to the basement floor to discover a tiny but inviting breakfast room awaiting us with tasty pastries, juices, crusty breads and the most amazing cake Miss S has ever eaten in her life.
(There were tears of joy when she was given another slice on our last breakfast before we checked out!)
Hôtel Le Lapin Blanc in Paris offers a magical world of 1950’s retro design, Alice in Wonderland themed quirkiness and delightful service. This boutique hotel is small but beautifully formed with charming details and a wonderful balance between stylish design and the element of surprise. Next time you are visiting Paris and you want a little adventure you know where to venture…
“ If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense.
”
Not to forget that Paris is actually right on the doorstep…
The 5th Arrondisement in Paris is a classic part of the city, right by the Île de la Cité on the Left Bank. It is considered the oldest area in Paris: with tiny winding streets, historic buildings and bohemian cafés filled with students from the Sorbonne University. Also known as the Latin Quarter - because the Sorbonne has a history that dates back to when its papers were taught in Latin - it appealed to this Classicist.
We love exploring an area that is so steeped in history: the Panthéon with luminaries Voltaire & Victor Hugo’s tombs, Notre Dame Cathedral, Jardin des Plantes & the quirky English bookshop Shakespeare & Company. Plus many a great boulangerie serving freshly baked breads and pastries.
With our imaginations (and bellies) truely satisfied, we settled our heads upon fluffy pillows under the light of the Sorbonne University cupola and dreamed of white rabbits eating cheese at a dreamily coloured tea party that served the best gateaux ever….
