LVMH owner Bernard Arnault once thought he wanted his own hotel. That became Le Cheval Blanc in Courchevel, because he liked to ski there and couldn't find a hotel to his liking. In no time at all he turned it into a thriving chain with establishments in St. Barth, Saint-Tropez, the Maldives and, since 2021, in Paris, on the upper floors of the La Samaritaine department store, which he also bought en passant and turned into a luxury shopping paradise where only his own LVMH brands are for sale.Text: Ivo Weyel
Online Editor: Mical Joseph
Le Cheval Blanc has 26 rooms, 46 suites and 1 1,000-square-foot apartment, all decorated in an art deco atmosphere by Peter Marino, the man who also furnishes all of LVMH's stores. From every nook and cranny there are stunning views of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower and the city's mansards. If you are too lazy to push the button that electrically opens the curtains, your butler will do it for you.
The annual book LXRY List 2022 casts a glance into the distance, where new opportunities shine. Entrepreneurship with a view to a better world. For example, Rewilding Europe is committed to helping disappearing species by making space for true wild nature. And De Apostelhoeve is taking advantage of global warming by growing wine on the hills of Limburg and gaining international recognition for it. In addition to these burgeoning economies, there is also a focus on sustainable initiatives. Like Cartier's new Tank Must, a watch that runs on solar energy. And a lamp against light pollution. But the list also includes an over-the-top hotel stay at Château Versailles. Après nous, le déluge? No, but even in the new world there may be room to enjoy and experience.
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