{a parisian time-capsule ...}

Here's a fascinating find: Madame de Florian, a French socialite, fled to the south of France during World War II and left her Parisian apartment on the Right Bank near the Opéra Garnier. She never sold it however, just in case she wanted to return. Sadly, she never went back to it after the war. Since 1942, the apartment has been sitting untouched, until recently when an auctioneer entered her apartment. What he found was a time capsule, full of perfectly preserved treasures:

The home is not open to the public and is still owned by Madame de Florian's estate. Inside, a beautiful portrait of the apartment’s owner herself was found, and was eventually auctioned for 2.1 million euros.

 

 

I was intrigued to read that the apartment was able to remain untouched because the owner continued paying the rent until her recent death in 2010 at the age of 91. I imagine that she had so much hope that she would one day return, or at least pass this gem of an apartment in the City of Lights on to her loved ones. Quite an incredible story!

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