Les Dames du Panthéon ★★★★

Les Dames du Panthéon **** is set in an original 18th-century building and has recently been completely refurbished. Its inspiring theme, seeking to redress the infamous shortage of women in the Panthéon hall of fame, is dedicated to women who dared, who loved, who took their destinies into their own hands and became free and independent. They have rooms dedicated to the likes of George Sand, Juliet Greco, Edith Piaf and Marguerite Duras. It has 35 rooms, all with a feminine influence, over six floors. We had chosen the rich, lush and romantic Deluxe Cocotte room.

When we arrived, the staff were infectiously cheerful and helpful too, and our bags were whisked away. When we arrived in our room, we were delighted to find welcoming flowers, chocolates and champagne. What a lovely start to our stay! The room smelled deliciously fragrant. It was a deep lush crimson, with delicately patterned wallpaper and maroon embroidered cushions - the overall effect is sensual, rich and feminine. The room is reminiscent of the heyday of Paris’s belle époque period, and the fabulous view of the Place du Panthéon was a constant reminder of this too. More down-to-earth but necessary details were not forgotten: the Wi-Fi worked well and we had generous desk space, there was a safe, mini-bar and Nespresso machine and a lovely big bathroom with brilliant rainfall shower. Even the toiletries in the bathroom were feminine and delicious, as they are made by the Carthusia brand from Italy. Les Dames du Panthéon is the brand’s first outlet in France, and I enjoyed buying up a few little luxuries from the hotel’s boutique to take home with us.

Breakfast was included in the rate for the room and on our first morning we indulged ourselves with a lazy start to the day with breakfast delivered to our room. But the restaurant’s breakfast room was lovely as well. It was housed in a subterranean vaults of stone arches; we guessed it was a converted wine cellar. In the evening we enjoyed an aperitif in the bar, a cosy space with pretty dark-wood furniture and delicate oriental-looking fabrics. The wine list was excellent and the waiter helpful and cheerful, and we set out for dinner in the evening full of good humour and ready to enjoy an evening in Paris.

The Rive Gauche is still teeming with students, no longer chatting in Latin, but lending a lively air to this venerable part of the great city. We strolled to the river, along the bank all the way to Pont Neuf, now shorn of its love-locks but still charming in the way that only Paris can be. Our days flew by in a whirlwind of visiting old haunts and discovering new ones. The best discovery of all was Les Dames du Panthéon ****. I came, I saw, I loved! We will certainly return.