Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 2nd Quarter 2016 | Page 51

lively, ‘efficient,’ and meaningful—and thus worthy of a lasting memory. Beyond our borders, the French art of welcoming is something that is celebrated, sought after, and even envied. Is it our culture, our heritage, our gastronomy, our climate…? The truth is, it’s a little bit of everything at once. The French art of welcoming is a tradition we owe to Louis XIV. It was his hope to bring an element of prestige to France, so each event was carefully organized according to a very formal etiquette. Thanks to this ceremony, French-style service became integrated into a system in which the art of living truly emerged as a major art form. Tableware gradually developed into an art, and the beauty of gestures in service developed in complexity. The quest for excellence, which accompanied the evolution of tableware, allowed for the evolution of common household objects such as pottery, table covers, and glasses, to name a few. The so-called “modern” cuisine of the time appeared around the same time as the first champagnes, and each of these were elaborated with a sense of ceremony and decorum that cemented the supremacy of French taste in Europe for several centuries thereafter. Thus was born the French art of welcoming. 1. What does French luxury mean for high-end hotels? Is there such a thing as a distinctly French style of hospitality? It was around the 19th century that the first Palaces appeared. In Paris, Hotel Meurice ranks among the oldest (it was established in 1835). ILHA 51