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Arrived
in 1865 with horse and cart of their native Savoie, Sir and
Madam MOLLARD opened a bar in front of the train station Saint-Lazare.
Thirty years after his arrival, Mister MOLLARD had gained
enough money to begin the necessary works and realize the
most beautiful establishment of Paris. It was the event of
this year, the most smart restaurant, the most very rich clientele,
in the most fashionable district.
He
specially made come mosaics from Italy, and asks to the workshops
of Sarreguemines to create for him unique parts having for
theme the life around the train station Saint-Lazare. These
unique parts evoke Deauville, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, city
of Avray, the entrance and the exit of the station Saint-Lazare,
a "pleasure party" of this period, without forgetting Alsace
and Lorraine, inevitable in this year of 1895.
NIERMANS
- architect who realized among others THE NEGRESCO and ANGELINA
- had the control of the whole realization, made himself the
drawings of mosaics, drew the models of chairs, tables, bright
devices, coat racks, and even pieces of furniture of the cashier
…
However,
after the war 14-18, the main part of the clientele MOLLARD
had disappeared. The business died slowly. Judging then the
too old-fashioned decoration, and to boost the restaurant,
the main part of the decoration was then hidden behind paint
and big mirrors, which allowed to keep intact almost the totality
of the decoration during almost fifty years. Only the central
glass roof collapsed in 1920.
From
1965, we decided to look for the former decorations, to remove
all the paints as well as the big mirrors: the main part of
the decoration had been protected. All the big frescoes were
restored, only one was lost. MOLLARD recovered its decoration
of 1895 and its historic decoration made of blue green tones,
royal blue, gilded, beige and brown marble on the big columns
and around the former mosaics.
The
only modern touche is the new, intimate and pretty pink lounge.
MOLLARD
was officially classified in the complementary list of historic
monuments in 1989.
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