If you owned a newly-renovated 48-room hotel in the Latin Quarter of Paris and wanted to give it a catchy name that would ensure a full house all year round, would you call it “French Theory”? Really?
I wouldn’t, but perhaps that just shows my lack of marketing savvy.
Of course, the name “French Theory” does not refer to anyone like René Descartes (1596-1650) of cogito-ergo-sum fame, or Voltaire (1694-1778) or Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778).
In February 2022, the French newspaper Le Monde, or rather its magazine M Le mag, published a long article by Stéphanie Chayet called “Foucault, Deleuze, Derrida… About the French origins of ‘wokism’”, in which she explains that “French Theory” is “the name forged across the Atlantic to bring together these French thinkers of post-structuralism.” She quotes François Cusset, the author of a book called French Theory, as saying that in their native France, the thinkers in question “more or less fell into oblivion during their lifetime” but that these difficult philosophers have reached a level of notoriety in the United States that they have never reached at home.
If this is really the case, I may have to eat my words. If Foucault, Deleuze, Derrida and French Theory are so well known in American universities, perhaps the name really can attract enough American academics to fill 48 hotel rooms in the Latin Quarter throughout the year.
French Theory in 2022
The hotel’s new website is persuasive, in any case, with texts that strike me as being masterpieces of tongue-in-cheek advertising: “French Theory thrives on inspiration in all its multifarious glory. An hotel, concept store and musical laboratory, French Theory contributes to the creative revival of the Parisian Left Bank.”
A single room (9 to 10 square meters) is now called a Study Room: “The Study Room is a haven for the modern intellectual. Simple and elegant, it is a perfect fit for both tortured writers and solo ramblers.”
A room for two with a queen size bed is now called a Professor Suite, “a luxurious homage to the great thinkers and writers who built the reputation of the Latin Quarter.”
All the rooms are said to “celebrate the cultural heritage of the Left Bank while adding a welcome touch of modernity to your stay. […] Whether it’s exploring the city, staying in for a cozy evening or even working on your next best-seller, these rooms are the perfect base to do so.”
Hôtel Cujas Panthéon in 2011 and French Theory in 2022
As a ‘modern intellectual’ and a ‘tortured writer’, I was sorely tempted to book a room at French Theory for a week in September 2022. They even had a vacancy for me, but what finally put me off was the price. The hotel has been so thoroughly upgraded that it now has a third star, and their prices have more than doubled since 2019.
Only part of this price increase is due to inflation and the pandemic. According to French press reports in 2022, hotel prices in Paris have risen by an average of 35 % since 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.
Lobby of Hôtel Cujas Panthéon in 2011, with cars parked in front
As it happens, I have stayed at this hotel three times in recent years: five nights in September 2011, five in July 2017 and five in August 2019.
The name of the hotel in those years was still Hôtel Cujas Panthéon — Cujas being the name of the street and the Panthéon being the second closest landmark, 350 meters away. (The closest landmark is the Sorbonne, just around the corner and only 110 meters away.)
For my visit in 2011, I booked months ahead of time because I knew some other VirtualTourist members would also be staying in this hotel, and in fact I had some nice chats over breakfast down in the vaulted stone basement with Steve (stevemt), Dave (davesut), Ann (aussierose) and Ann’s husband Howard.
Now, a decade later, the basement has been turned into “the beating heart of French Theory, the Audio Lab.” Breakfast is now served in their new café on the ground floor, or at tables set up out on the street in re-purposed parking spaces.
My photos in this post are from 2011 and 2022. I wrote the text in 2022.
See also: More changes on Rue Cujas.
I’m not fond of the name. The marketing copy you cite makes me think pretentious and expensive—hence out of reach and unappealing for most writers.
I like the idea, however, of a simple hotel with a table on which to write in every room and common areas where guests can gather. Any recommendations?
I’m not sure if these marketing texts are meant to be tongue-in-cheek or not, but I certainly hope so.
As for recommendations, I’m a bit at a loss right now, since hotels in Paris have gotten much more expensive in the past year or two. I haven’t decided yet where to stay on my next visit.
We usually stay at https://www.hotelfrancequartierlatin.com/en/ The Hotel de France Quartier Latin at 108 rue Monge. It’s at the foot of rue Mouffetard and near several bus and Metro stops, an easy walk to Gobelins, the Grande Mosque and the Jardin des Plantes. It’s a bit of a walk into the main part of town, but there are velo bikes and buses and the Metro station is only a half block away. They are more expensive now than they used to be but quite reasonable. The rooms are clean; the staff is friendly and helpful and there is a decent lounge area by the front desk. It’s worth a look to see if it fits your budget.
Hi, Sally. Thanks for the recommendation and the link.
You gotta love those individual room descriptions, they’re either tongue in cheek or seriously the worst twee descriptions in the history of hotel marketing. Unless of course there’s a whole world of boring people out there who think they’re bohemian in spirit but do the most predictable and boring job on Earth. Oh yes. There’s thousands maybe millions of them. Of course. Silly me. The choice of name is nothing short of inspired…
As an American, I have only recently become aware of the British word ‘twee’, but I think it is the perfect word for these texts.
I always enjoy your Parisien posts, and you have introduced me to many new places to discover when I return to the city. Having had a quick look at the hotel website, my first thoughts were that there has been some ‘interesting’ marketing/rebranding taking place!
Yes, I think some of their texts have to be taken with a grain of salt, at least. But at least their rebranding will make them stand out from the crowd, if nothing else.
C’est vrai!
Je ne sais pas s’il faut rire ou pleurer quand je lis ces délires de nos “créatifs” !
Je pense que ces textes sur leur site Web ne sont pas destinés à être pris entièrement au sérieux.
Hallo Nemorino, I’m loving your posts soon things/places you found on your last visit to Paris—reallu interesting finds, and thought-provoking. We were with our younger family, and just tended to stay with the better-known places.
Thanks Viv, I’m glad you are enjoying this latest batch of posts on Paris.
So sorry to see the Hôtel Cujas Panthéon has changed so much. It used to be a good budget option in Paris. Another nearby budget hotel, the Hotel Sorbonne, has also redecorated, renamed to the Hotel Design Sorbonne and upped their prices. It seems to be a trend. We have been staying farther out in the Latin Quarter at the Hôtel de France Quartier-Latin and taking bus or subway back into town. It is more time consuming but the local area (rue Mouffetard) is lots of fun so we enjoy it. They have managed to keep their prices within reason and if you want to be off the beaten path a little, there is a lot to explore including the Gobelins Tapestry Museum and the wonderful rue Mouffetard Market.
Yes, I like rue Mouffetard. Once took a tour of the Gobelins manufactory and saw how they still make tapestries and carpets by hand.
It looks like a nice enough place, I’m guessing I’m not the target market as I find the website a bit waffly. I hope the revamped hotel is a success, this isn’t an easy time for hospitality!
You’re certainly right that this isn’t an easy time for hospitality. Not all Paris hotels have survived the pandemic.
French theory sounds naughty. Without the explanation (or even with it) it is confusing.
The service industry has become costlier after the pandemic, you are right 👍
Not a name that would entice me yo book