As she pours wine into proffered etched-crystal flutes, the sommelier explains that sabering, now a theatrical way to serve up a bottle of Champagne, was legendarily invented by Napoleon Bonaparte and his light cavalrymen, the Hussars.
In the lavishly adorned parlour rooms at Shangri-La Paris, ensconced in a palatial residence built by Prince Roland Bonaparte—grand nephew to Napoleon Bonaparte—we settle into a velvet sofa for one of the hotel’s much anticipated nightly rituals: Champagne sabering. Just off the majestic lobby and its historic canopied ceiling embossed with zodiac symbols, this opulent warren of common areas once served as the prince’s billiard and meeting rooms. As a famed botanist and member of Paris’ turn-of-the-century literati, the scientist hosted nightly salons for intellectual repartee in these realms. It’s easy to imagine that our fellow hotel guests seated in the myriad conversational nooks are engaged in witticisms worthy of those bygone times. The room’s omnipresent chatter ends abruptly when a nattily dressed sommelier enters, bows and draws a saber from its scabbard. In her other hand she wields a chilled bottle of Veuve Clicquot, which she points aloft. With no further adieu, she smiles confidently, then whisks the sword along the bottle’s seam. Pop! Off flies the cork, faster than we can blink.
Add in the underpinnings of Asian gracefulness woven into the mix in homage to Shangri-La’s heritage, and this hotel stands out as one of Paris’ most evocative stays
As she pours wine into proffered etched-crystal flutes, the sommelier explains that sabering, now a theatrical way to serve up a bottle of Champagne, was legendarily invented by Napoleon Bonaparte and his light cavalrymen, the Hussars. Purportedly, the general and his men (lovers of French Champagne) were gifted celebratory bottles of Champagne as they rode victoriously through French villages. Never stopping to dismount, they discovered it was easier to open the bottles with their swords while astride their steeds than stopping to uncoil the foil and pull the cork. Today, the tradition lives on.
Of Champagne, Napoleon said: “In victory one deserves it, in defeat one needs it!” Though not defeated, after a hard day in Paris’ galleries, we’re pleased to have a tipple. The brioche-y wine tastes luscious sipped in the pampered comfort of Shangri-La Paris, which grandly occupies prime real estate on the Seine, steps from the Eiffel Tower in the 16th arrondissement. Constructed in the eclectic neo-classical tradition by Prince Roland, sumptuously restored to open as a hotel in 2010, the palace brings to play a harmonious mishmash of architectural styles. Reflective of Bonaparte’s world travels and lofty interests, the architecture—inside and out —imbues the building with that distinct sense of fantasy one longs for when on holiday in Paris. Add in the underpinnings of Asian gracefulness woven into the mix in homage to Shangri-La’s heritage, and this hotel stands out as one of Paris’ most evocative stays. With a new chef at the helm of Shang Palace (France’s first and only Chinese restaurant to earn a Michelin star), views of the Eiffel Tower from nearly half the hotel’s rooms and suites (even from the subterranean swimming pool) and outstanding concierge-arranged activities (such as an exclusive, private riva boat ride on the Seine), Shangri-La Paris caters as thoroughly to veteran Paris travelers as first time tourists.
More About the Hotel
While much of Shangri-La Paris’ gravitas hails from its venerable historical grandeur and old school sumptuousness from mouldings to gild, don’t miss the graceful Asian flourishes which pay homage to the Shangri-La brand’s heritage. Look for details such as woven silk wallpapers, Far East floral patterns and Ming-inspired ceramics. Leave French cuisine behind for one day at least to dine at Shang Palace, France’s only Michelin awarded Chinese restaurant. The all-day restaurant, La Bauhinia both visually and physically delights the senses—and you’ll want to stay off the streets to dine-in as much as possible. Breakfast is a feast. Reserve a table at Le Bar Botaniste, which looks to Bonaparte’s love for nature, world travel and passion for plant life for its innovative libations. The menu reads like a mystical tale. Retreat to Chi Spa for treatments that run the gamut from Eastern to Western modalities, and swim laps in the below- ground pool with Eiffel Tower views, constructed in the Prince’s former stables.
Room to Book
Never a disappointment, the Eiffel Tower seems more splendorous than ever, especially alit at night. Splurge on a suite which frames it. You’ll never leave the window, every awed by its magnitude. For a treat, L’Appartement Prince Bonaparte, once the quarters of Roland himself, encompasses 3,390-square-feet on the second floor. Kitted out in the Directoire style, the one bedroom hideaway brandishes parquet floors in the mode of Versailles, gilt work aplenty, period furnishings and soaring ceilings. It starts at $16,156 nightly.