North Stars:

Heritage Value

Gender Equality

Community Support

“Do everything with heart…if you start from that place, you’ll end up with something beautiful.”

Partnership

Starting a business midlife isn’t easy, but for Cécile Caillié it felt inevitable. After years in the South of France raising her children, she returned to Paris determined to create something personal — not a hotel, not a rental, but a refined hybrid.

“I was born in Paris,” she says. “Even when I lived in the South, I came back every month — always to the same neighborhood, near Avenue Montaigne.” As her children grew more independent, the city’s pull grew stronger. “Something essential was missing. A daily pulse that only Paris can offer.”

Saint-Germain-des-Prés, with its bookshops, markets, and human scale, was the only option she considered. “The moment I came back, I felt a deep sense of belonging.”

An Idea Formed by Travel

Her concept didn’t start with spreadsheets. Years of travel had given her a mental catalogue of what worked in hospitality and what didn’t — the small touches missing, the details that could be better. “With every trip I took, I noted what felt off and what could be improved,” she says. That informal education, paired with a sharp instinct, became the seed for Saint-Germain by Cécile. “I knew I could do it better,” she says.

Early feedback from guests confirmed she was onto something. They noticed the warmth and attentiveness woven into each stay — a kind of presence she felt was disappearing from the industry. “In that moment, I knew this was more than just a place to sleep,” she says. “It was about creating a space where people feel cared for and at ease.”

Keeping Standards High

Cécile launched without a team, handling everything herself with the precision of someone deeply invested in the result. “I’ve been the housekeeper, the concierge, the butler — all at once,” she says.

She still lives in the building. She’s the one who answers messages, who greets guests, who checks that everything has been prepared exactly right. “I’m always available,” she says. “It’s a level of responsiveness and care that no impersonal concierge service could match.”

She has managed the scale of her business carefully, refusing to grow for the sake of it. “I carefully select my guests, because preserving the calm of the building is essential. There are no compromises: no parties, no smokers, pets yes but not noisy pets. These spaces are also my home.”

She treats cleanliness as a non-negotiable. “Every cleaning includes steam treatment of all fabrics: decorative cushions, curtains, rugs, mattresses, upholstery,” she says. Cécile uses protectors on both mattresses and pillows, which are regularly changed and disinfected, for a level of care uncommon in even the most luxurious of hotels.

Even the linens reflect her meticulous approach. She uses Beltrami, the same brand found on private yachts and at hotels like Le Bristol. All are washed by hand with pure Marseille soap — an ecological choice that also minimizes allergens. “I want my guests to have an environment that’s as pure as it is comfortable.”

Her preference for authenticity extends to the toiletries, sourced from L’OCCITANE en Provence, a brand she first encountered more than two decades ago at Château de la Messardière in Saint-Tropez.

Hospitality That Begins Before the Door Opens

Cécile never wanted guests to feel like customers. “Every guest is unique, and I always take the time beforehand to learn about their personality and expectations,” she says. “This allows me to tailor the welcome, prepare a thoughtful gesture, and most importantly, create an initial connection that feels genuine and reassuring.”

She greets everyone in person, often with a member of her small team. “We take the time to explain how everything works, answer questions, and make sure they feel immediately at home,” she says. Her approach is hands-on without being overbearing. “I want them to sense that they are not in a ‘cash machine,’ but in a lived-in space where their stay holds true human value, not just material comfort.”

Years of travel taught her how rare that feeling is. “Even in the most expensive hotels, the experience can feel impersonal, standardized, almost mechanical,” she says. Cécile looks to offer the opposite: hospitality infused with warmth and generosity. “It’s almost psychological in nature,” she says, “creating that sense of trust.”

While her apartments are comfortable, they’re not simply for resting after a long day wandering the streets of Paris. “I want them to leave moved,” she says. “To remember their stay not only because of the beauty of the space, but because of the quality of the connection.”

Design That Feels Lived In

Cécile’s design choices are both intuitive and deliberate. “I’ve always been deeply inspired by stone,” she says. “There’s something about its nobility, its texture, and its ability to create an atmosphere that is both raw and elegant.” For the apartments, she sourced rare quartzites from MDY (Les Marbriers de Versailles), the same stone used for Rafael Nadal’s commemorative plaque at Roland Garros.

Her spaces are streamlined but warm. “I love uncluttered rooms — they create a sense of order and serenity, almost therapeutic,” she says. She takes cues from places like Le Crillon, Cheval Blanc, and Le Lutetia, where every material is chosen with intention. “They combine refinement, calm, and presence. That’s what I strive to recreate in my own way.”

A Neighborhood Woven Into the Experience

Saint-Germain-des-Prés isn’t a backdrop; rather, the neighborhood is woven into the fabric of her business. Each morning, Cécile exchanges greetings with bakers, delivery drivers, florists, booksellers, and café owners. “This daily connection creates a genuine human dynamic around Saint-Germain by Cécile,” she says.

Guests notice the influence in small ways: fresh flowers from a nearby shop, wine from a local merchant, personal recommendations that go beyond the standard list. “I guide them toward the neighborhood shops I truly love — places I’ve been going to for years,” she says. “This neighborhood is where I fully belong. It inspires me, supports me, and I believe my guests can feel that.”

A Life Rewritten, One Detail at a Time

When she began, Cécile wondered if she was the right person to take on the project. “On paper, I didn’t tick all the boxes of the ‘ideal’ entrepreneur,” she says. “I had no specific training, no experience in hospitality, no ready-made team.” Over time, she learned to trust her instincts. “Today, I know that I’m capable of creating and carrying a project from A to Z. It has given me a deep inner strength.”

Her definition of success has shifted. “I no longer measure it in terms of external recognition, scale, or numbers. For me, success means thriving in what I do — feeling aligned, alive, and useful.” That also means protecting what she’s built: avoiding unnecessary stress, working at her own pace, and keeping the business true to her vision. “That, to me, is what success looks like: a calm, grounded freedom that’s deeply personal.”

What Comes Next

Saint-Germain by Cécile continues to evolve without expanding. Recently, she added a second apartment in another nearby building, reserved for long-term rentals. “This allows me to meet a different type of demand without compromising the quality or harmony of my main residence,” she says.

She’s also refining operations and exploring selective collaborations. “Some partnerships are underway — particularly to elevate the brand through more targeted, high-quality communication, always in line with the spirit of discretion and elegance that is so important to me.”

There’s also a personal idea taking shape: a project to support people living with chronic pain. “It’s a profound, intimate subject,” she says. “And I’d like to contribute my insight, my energy, and my creativity to it.”

Advice for Women Starting Over

Cécile is clear-eyed about what it takes to start again, especially later in life. “Do a true introspection. Have the courage to analyze yourself with honesty — but also with kindness,” she says. She recommends asking a small circle of trusted, sincere people for their perspective.

The right move, she believes, isn’t always the biggest. “If you’re choosing to take a new path mid-career, it should be fully aligned with who you are. It shouldn’t be an escape but a conscious move toward something meaningful.”

Her final advice is simple: “Hang on. Never give up. Stay in motion. Question yourself every day. Nothing is ever a given. Even after several years, I’m still learning, adjusting, listening.”

The Last Word

If she could speak to the version of herself just starting out, she’d keep it simple. “Do everything with heart, with respect for yourself and others. If you start from that place, you’ll end up with something beautiful,” she says.

“Maybe not what you had planned… but something true — and something that reflects who you really are.”

How to Book

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