The history of the Ritz hotel in Paris, the epitome of high living set in one of the city’s most imposing squares, exudes glamour, elegance and intrigue.
Now there is a chance to own something of its glorious if at times tarnished past.
Next month, 10,000 objects from more than a century of providing luxury to the wealthy, but no longer needed after a massive renovation project costing €400 million (Dh1.8 billion), will go under the auctioneer’s hammer in one of the most fascinating saleroom events of recent times.
"It really is a unique opportunity for people to go home with their own piece of the emblematic legend of the most famous hotel in the world," Stephane Aubert, the associate director of the Artcurial auction house, told The National.
“It is an exciting sale, a major event for the Ritz itself and a celebration of the distinctive style that makes it much more than a hotel, more a castle on the Place Vendome with a special place in French history.”
An almost random selection of items, arranged in 3,500 lots, including a minibar thought likely to fetch up to €600, chandeliers, Louis XV and Louis XVI-style furniture - from a dog bed valued at €200-360 to a desk that could fetch as much as €7,200, will go on sale from April 17-21. The bidding will be preceded by a week-long exhibition at the Artcurial headquarters at the foot of the Champs-Elysees.
It is difficult to quarrel with Mr Aubert’s belief that no other hotel in the world has quite the cache of the Ritz, which opened in the dying years of the 19th century midway through the Belle Epoque, a period of relative prosperity for France.
The empress of 20th-century fashion, Coco Chanel, lived there for 30 years, including during the Second World War when the Nazis occupied several floors and a German spy chief was among her lovers. She escaped post-war prosecution but declassified documents later suggested she collaborated with France’s occupiers on matters of intelligence.
Chanel died in 1971, aged 87, in the sumptuous Ritz suite that still bears her name and now costs between €18,000 and €28,000 for a single night.
The swashbuckling American author Ernest Hemingway, later to win a Nobel prize for literature, famously claimed to have liberated the hotel bar as the Nazi occupation ended, and it was later named after him. “When I dream of after-life in heaven, the action always takes place in the Paris Ritz," he once wrote.
The English king Edward VIII, who abdicated in 1936 over the scandal caused by his wish to marry a divorcee, Wallis Simpson, stayed there regularly with the wife who had cost him the throne.
Diana, the princess of Wales, dined there with her friend, Dodi, the son of the hotel’s Egyptian owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, immediately before both were killed in a high-speed road accident as their chauffeur, who also died, tried to shake off pursuing paparazzi in 1997.
Much of Europe’s royalty and aristocracy favoured the Ritz and, as pointed out by the auctioneers, so did such American billionaires as the Rockefellers, Goulds and Vanderbilts who would “spend without counting” on lavish soirees when visiting Paris.
The British statesman Winston Churchill stayed there. The Italian actress Sophia Loren called it "the most romantic hotel in the world". And the Ritz has featured relentlessly in fiction as a setting in novels, from Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and F Scott Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, in Noel Coward's play about 1920s Parisian high life, Semi-Monde, and in several films including three featuring Audrey Hepburn.
Marcel Proust may not have written In Search of Lost Time at the Ritz but often dined there in a private room. The maitre d'hotel Olivier Dabescat was a close friend whose intimate knowledge of the establishment and its guests proved an invaluable research resource for the seven-volume classic.
Built on the site of an 18th-century town house, the Ritz was opened in 1898 by Cesar Ritz, who rose from peasant Swiss origins to be acclaimed “king of hoteliers, and hotelier to kings”.
But before the four-year renovation began in 2012, the Ritz was showing signs of age and attracting negative comments from some guests. It also lost its prestigious “Palace” status awarded to France’s most luxurious hotels, though this is now expected to be restored.
In January, there was another bout of unwelcome attention when robbers smashed the display windows of ground-floor shops and stole jewellery and watches worth €4m. The haul was recovered and three suspects were arrested.
Artcurial has previously organised sales for a number of other top hotels, from the Crillon in Paris to the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, with proceeds topping €12m.
It says the latest auction of hotel treasures glorifies a recognisable Ritz style “harmoniously combining paintings, chandeliers and French antiques from Louis XIV to Empire style, including Regency and Louis XVI … a spirit created by Cesar Ritz, who perfected the tone to seduce American guests with the comfort and elegance of a hotel which combines modern American comfort and French ‘art-de-vivre’.”
“We are already receiving lots of calls from people who want to to see the exhibition and then bid for items at the auction,” said Mr Aubert. “It promises to be a very successful sale.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The five pillars of Islam
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
RESULTS
Men
1 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:04:04
2 Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 2:04:16
3 Dejene Debela Gonfra (ETH) 2:07:06
4 Thomas Rono (KEN) 2:07:12
5 Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:09:18
Women
1 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:16
2 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:54
3 Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:24:07
4 Chaltu Tafa (ETH) 2:25:09
5 Caroline Kilel (KEN) 2:29:14
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Company%20Profile
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GROUPS
Group Gustavo Kuerten
Novak Djokovic (x1)
Alexander Zverev (x3)
Marin Cilic (x5)
John Isner (x8)
Group Lleyton Hewitt
Roger Federer (x2)
Kevin Anderson (x4)
Dominic Thiem (x6)
Kei Nishikori (x7)
EXPATS
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Read more from Mina Al-Oraibi
More on animal trafficking
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
More on Quran memorisation:
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
WISH
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.