Ever wondered what a swimming pool turned luxury hotel looks like? The Villa Molitor holds a secret. It is not just a street. It is an access point to a world of history, art and luxury.
Welcome to Villa Molitor. This private street in Paris’s 16th arrondissement whispers tales of a glamorous past. It started in 1873. The name honors Marshal Gabriel Molitor. He was a Count of the Empire.
But the Villa Molitor is more than its namesake. Number 7 was once home to Johnny Hallyday. He was a famous French singer. He lived here until the early 2000s.
But the real story lies beyond the street itself. The Villa Molitor provides access to the Molitor swimming pool and hotel. It is a place reborn from its own ashes.
In 1929, the “Molitor and Auteuil Swimming Pool” opened. It was part of a huge sports complex. It included the Parc des Princes and Roland Garros. Johnny Weissmuller even worked here. He was a five-time Olympic medalist. He was a lifeguard in the summer of 1929.
Molitor quickly became a social hub. It hosted galas and beauty contests. It had restaurants and even a hairdressing salon. The indoor pool was designed by Lucien Pollet. His offices were near the entrance to Villa Molitor.
Dominic Thomas worked here. He was a cabin boy. He said it was the best time of his life. He remembered regulars reserving the same cabins every morning.
The Molitor’s decline began in the 1970s. The skating rink closed. The water filtration system failed. The City Council refused to extend the lease. In 1989, the Molitor closed.
But the story doesn’t end there. Artists took over the abandoned building. It became a Mecca for the Parisian underground. Graffiti covered the walls. Photographers captured these ephemeral works.
In 2007, the Paris City Council announced a tender. They wanted to restore and operate the building. Colony Capital won the bid. They promised to preserve its historic nature.
The Molitor was rebuilt. It reopened on May 19, 2014. Today, Molitor is a luxury hotel. It has 124 rooms and suites. Jean-Philippe Nuel designed them. They are cocoons of peace and calm. Some rooms overlook the outdoor pool.
Molitor also has a restaurant. It has a bar and a rooftop open to everyone. The Spa by Clarins offers treatments. The Molitor Club hosts group sessions and cultural events.
Street art remains a fixture. It is presented in the cabins of curiosity. It is on the walls of the hotel lobby. Artists who knew Molitor during its abandoned period have returned. They have left their mark on the new buildings.
When you step inside, you enter the world of Hopare and Katre. Also Jace and Mademoiselle Maurice. And many others.
Molitor is more than just a hotel or a swimming pool. It is a place of art, history and luxury. It is a place where the past and present meet. A place that continues to evolve. Its story continues to be written each day.