We pushed open the doors of La Fondation, on Legendre Street in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, to see what this 10,000-square-metre concrete block nestled between Parc Monceau and the Batignolles village is really hiding. A five-star hotel, a brasserie, a bistronomic dining room, cafés, a rooftop, a spa, a semi-Olympic pool and a climbing wall—all inside one building, from the ground floor to the top.
Opened to the public in late April 2025 after six years of work, the venue has expanded its offering floor by floor, culminating with its panoramic restaurant, which opened last autumn. We take you to discover it area by area, with what we liked and what you should know before you come.
The building's history alone is worth the detour. This Brutalist volume used to be a concrete parking structure, redesigned by the firm PCA-STREAM (Philippe Chiambaretta Architecte) for the Galia Group.
The original spiral ramp has been preserved, the expansive glass bays punched through, and the exposed concrete remains. We like this honesty: the place didn't try to erase its garage past, it dressed it up.
Interior design returns to the New York studio Roman & Williams, led by Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch. Raw concrete, exposed brick, warm ironwork, and carefully chosen vintage pieces: the duo leans into contrast and collaborates with French artisans. The result is a seamless flow from one space to another, from the lobby to the top floor.
The hotel comprises 58 rooms, including 3 suites, spread across seven floors. The vibe is contemporary and fairly restrained, with materials that warm the concrete and a genuine emphasis on acoustic comfort, something not always achieved in this kind of conversion.
A quick booking tip: higher floors naturally offer the best views of the zinc roofs in the area. The property also carries the Green Key label, awarded to eco-friendly accommodations. That said, the higher you go, the more the price climbs, although the standard rooms are just as stylish.
It's on the 8th floor that the meal unfolds. Arriving in early 2025, a few months after the hotel opened, Les Ailes is the bistronomic restaurant of the house, opening its glass-walled dining room and its vegetated rooftop terrace on the rooftops of Paris. Good news for heatwaves as well as for winter: it’s air‑conditioned, and the terrace remains usable year-round.
In the kitchen, chef Thomas Rossi, who trained in Jean-François Piège’s kitchens, oversees all of the venue’s dining outlets. His French cuisine goes about its business without fanfare, using seasonal produce and a marked taste for contrasts in texture and temperature.
Among the dishes we shortlisted, the yellowtail crudo with Corsican clementine vinegar opens the meal with a bright, well-balanced kick. The sea bream with puffed scales remains our standout, its crispy armor-like scales, French peas, and a delicate lemongrass-ginger finish.
Vegetarians aren’t forgotten here, which remains rare on this kind of menu, with a beet carpaccio in mustard cream and Mimolette cheese. Those with a hearty appetite will gravitate toward the confit veal breast with barbecue sauce, the most generous main on the list. On the sweet side, the exotic baked Alaska flambéed with rum is easy to share.
Les Ailes, discover the Foundation's rooftop restaurant
The Ailes restaurant offers bistronomic cuisine on the 8th floor of La Fondation, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. With a rooftop view, a green-covered terrace, and a menu by Thomas Rossi, it’s a wonderful discovery to enjoy year-round (yes, it’s air‑conditioned). [Read more]
At the foot of the building, the brasserie La Base serves up a far more everyday vibe. It’s here that neighborhood locals, office workers, and hotel guests mingle, in a more relaxed and approachable setting than the dining room on the 8th floor.
It's a smart pick if you want to explore the area without committing to an extravagant dinner, or if you're simply after a convenient lunch spot between Place de Clichy and the Batignolles.
It's the property's main draw, and for once the promise delivers. The rooftop of La Fondation proves it simply by circling the terrace: the Sacré-Cœur on one side, the Eiffel Tower on the other, and between them a sea of zinc rooftops that glows orange at sunset.
This isn’t a hotel terrace perched on a rooftop. It reads more like a hanging garden that’s sprung up on an industrial framework, with low seating, greenery, and lighting that grows softly as night falls.
The menu features five signature cocktails, all built around a clearly identified spirit and fresh fruit purées. The standout is the Oaxaca, with mezcal, grapefruit, hibiscus and basil, for those who crave smoky, lightly bitter profiles. Three mocktails are crafted with the same care, based on non-alcoholic spirits, and they’re nothing like throwaway fruit juice.
On the plate side, a concise tapas lineup, partly devised with Bellota-Bellota, pairs with the drinks, featuring sliced cecina, plain tarama, or tarama with summer truffle and piquillo pepper cream.
The rooftop at La Fondation houses its cocktail bar high above the 17th arrondissement of Paris, between Parc Monceau and Batignolles. A 360° view of the capital, tapas and signature cocktails—it's time to head upstairs, breathe in the air, and enjoy the good times. [Read more]
This is the most surprising corner of the place, and probably the one locals will be most excited about. The sports club brings together a semi‑olympic pool, a climbing wall, fitness rooms, connected equipment and group classes, all available on a subscription—and not just for hotel guests.
Nearby, the spa sets a hushed, intimate mood, with a sauna, hammam and a menu of treatments and massages bookable online. We love the idea of pairing a climbing session, a few laps in the pool and a massage—without ever leaving the building.
The Foundation also houses contemporary offices, meeting rooms, an auditorium and a hanging garden, tailored for freelancers and local businesses. The venue aims to be a genuine stage in its own right, hosting concerts, exhibitions, talks and seasonal-themed dinners refreshed as the seasons change.
You leave La Fondation with the rare sense that a single place can weave together realms that rarely mingle: sleeping, eating, swimming, climbing, working, and sharing a drink with a view.
The address is aimed first at northwest Parisians looking for a somewhat different sports club and a spa, and at the curious who appreciate striking architectural makeovers. The rooftop will suit a quiet tête-à-tête or a small-group evening, Les Ailes for a milestone occasion, and La Base for a neighborhood lunch.
Here’s a note of honesty: the bill can add up quickly if you pair a dinner on the 8th floor with a drink on the roof. The gym operates on a membership, but hotel guests gain access to all facilities, from the pool to the climbing wall. Budget-conscious travelers should take note. Also, the rooftop may close in bad weather, so take a quick look at the sky before heading out across Paris to avoid disappointment.
Craving more discoveries? Check out La Fantaisie, hôtel, bar en rooftop, restaurant, terrasse et SPA in the 9th arrondissement, and Le Rooftop du Brach 2026, la terrasse dans un potager avec vue Tour Eiffel in the 16th, two tested addresses that share the same formula: hotel, dining, and height.
Dates and Opening Time
Next days
Wednesday:
from 07:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Thursday:
from 07:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Friday:
from 07:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Saturday:
from 07:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Sunday:
from 07:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Monday:
from 07:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday:
from 07:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Location
The Foundation
40 Rue Legendre
75017 Paris 17
Route planner
Official website
www.lafondationhotel.com
Les Ailes, discover the Foundation's rooftop restaurant
The Foundation’s rooftop: enjoy a drink on Paris’s rooftops.
