Clarance Hôtel Lille: the same, but even better!

A trial run? A master stroke. Lille's first 5-star boutique hotel, the Clarance was an instant success and has never lost its "chic family home" feel, a blend of 18th-century refinement and warm modernity. The credit for this goes entirely to Aurélie Vermesse, the owner...

In 2013, this native of Lille fell in love with a mansion in the heart of the old town and decided to transform it into a boutique hotel, celebrating local values - the culture, know-how and hospitality of the people of the North. Assisted by architect Anne-Sophie Bettremieux and interior designer Sophie Lavigogne, she embarked on a two-year restoration project.

Between literature and gastronomy

The trio retained the historic wood panelling, parquet floors and fireplaces in the 19 rooms, but created a real break with immaculate whites, silver and chrome accents and pared-down furniture made by local craftsmen. Nestled in the attic, the "Clarance" suite makes a similarly bold statement, a sumptuous contemporary loft with white beams and a glass roof offering breathtaking views over the rooftops of Vieux-Lille.

Passionate about Baudelaire, Aurélie has named each room after a poem ("L'Albatros", "Le Cygne"...) and slipped a copy of Les Fleurs du mal into the bedside tables. Here, literature converses with art everywhere. Rooms are adorned with paintings, drawings and photos by contemporary artists. Street art is on display opposite the historic staircase and in the cobbled courtyard, with works by Guillaume Caron and Nasty. In the library, designed by a master cabinetmaker, guests can discover fine books recounting the artistic epic of Lille and the surrounding region.

This is a region that chef Alexandre Miquel also magnifies at La Table, with a cuisine that favors plant-based ingredients and short-run seafood products - fish from Boulogne-sur-Mer, vegetables and fruit from the local market gardens.vegetables and fruit from neighboring market gardeners, and aromatic plants from the small kitchen garden, which can be seen from the terrace garden in the shadow of Sainte-Catherine church.

Second wind

As you'd expect, a place like this (with the Relais & Châteaux label) has always sold out. That's why, in 2022, Aurélie Vermesse decided to embark on an audacious expansion project, buying two 1900 houses that adjoined the Clarance. Designed by architect Kristel Martin (Pollux agency), 10 new rooms and suites now welcome guests in search of a younger, more urban spirit, with a decoration that celebrates lacquered metal, bold colors and unique pieces, such as these Finnish birch louvered screens. The ultimate nugget, La Barre, the hotel bar, has established itself as Lille's new HQ, where locals gather in a chic, cosy atmosphere to enjoy a glass of champagne or the hotel's signature cocktail. A London pie that everyone loves!

©Agence Pollux

Kristel Martin, architect in charge of the Clarance renovation

How did you imagine the new rooms?

K. M.: The new rooms were created in two neighboring houses built in the 1900s. They are connected to the historic hotel by green courtyards, allowing guests to move naturally from one building to the other. The spirit of the place is different, as they are not mansions, but we are in the same luxury codes, with vast spaces - at least 25 m2 for the rooms - and an unchanged demand for comfort.

What elements distinguish the decor?

K. M. : There's no wood panelling or antique fireplaces here. So it was easy to come up with a contemporary style. The lines are clean, the wardrobes have no doors, the furniture - desks, bedside tables, minibar... - was made in lacquered metal by local craftsmen. These are works of art in their own right, with a real finesse to the metal, welded hinges... We've fitted out a duplex suite and are working on the creation of two apartments designed for families.

You also designed the bar in this new space...

K. M. : It's located at 28, rue de la Barre, in place of an old shop whose facade we've kept, with, inside, a marble fireplace and a magnificent elm parquet floor with incredible strips, 60 meters wide. We preserved these treasures and designed the space as a showcase. A confidential lounge with a mirrored ceiling to enlarge the space, a long bar with an aged sheet metal cladding to give it a coppery tone. Small tables, armchairs and bronze-green poufs give the place a boudoir feel. A refined, intimate address that's a hit with everyone. Inaugurated a few months ago, the bar is always busy!

Local and responsible...

Concerned with CSR issues, Clarance has been committed to sustainable development since its launch. Alexandre Miquel works with Maison Martin, a fishmonger in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Ferme du Beau Pays, an organic farmer and butcher, and Jean-Michel Havez, a market gardener in Ennevelin. Not to mention the organic vegetable garden and beehives in the hotel garden. Natural cosmetics are used in the rooms, and the hotel has installed a cogeneration boiler to limit energy consumption.

• Clarance Hôtel Lille: 32, rue de la Barre - 59000 Lille
• T. 03 59 36 35 59
• More information on Clarance Hôtel Lille