A Night of Romance at Maison Victor Hugo

The request came with a clear brief: romance. The guests: a discerning couple who know Paris well and wanted something different and unusual. The catch: they were free for one night only, in the middle of peak tourist season – and only a month away.

It’s a good thing we love a challenge! We put our deep knowledge of Paris’ cultural spaces to work, to choose the most charming, the most romantic, the most atmospheric places – and ones that we might be able to privatize for a VIP event.

We presented our guests with a list of ten potential venues and asked them to choose their top three. One of their choices was Maison Victor Hugo, the former apartment of the giant of French history: writer, poet, playwright, politician, painter, and even interior decorator. We worked with the maison to arrange private access on the desired night. We had our romantic venue!

Choreographing a special event like this requires creativity and care – and a network of collaborators to help us deliver every aspect to the highest standards. First, Fabien, our storyteller. A Victor Hugo expert with over 20 years’ experience leading visits of Hugo’s former homes, with whom we tailored a performance to fit with the rest of the evening’s magical moments.

We engaged high-end caterer Sens Gourmand to take care of food and wine. Our guests were wine connoisseurs with specific requests, and we made sure to live up to them. We worked closely with the guests on menu adjustments to cater to dietary requirements and ensure everything would be perfectly to their taste.

But of course, we also arranged little surprises to add a sprinkle of fairy dust. On arrival, the guests were shown to the beautiful garden to be serenaded by a string quartet while enjoying a flute of their favorite Champagne. Dinner was in the Salon Chinois, a stunning room largely designed and decorated by Hugo himself, at a table strewn with fresh flowers and rose petals. Two maître d’s were there to attend to every wish, with the chef serving some dishes personally.

Before dinner, a special moment: the maison’s General Secretary, white-gloved, unveiled to our guests an original manuscript – a love letter written by Victor Hugo, translated for the occasion and read out loud. 

Our guests were delighted – a wedding anniversary like no other, an enchanted setting, a wonderful meal, an unforgettable experience. Their dream of the perfect romantic evening in Paris had been fulfilled, our fully bespoke approach choreographing every detail to create a once-in-a-lifetime evening to remember.  ‍

At Secret Journeys we are creators of emotions and makers of memories. Whatever your desire or passion, ­­­we can curate the bespoke event or visit of your dreams.