How strange to think that number 122 rue de Provence used to stand one of the most exclusive and fashionable destinations in the city, the One-Two-Two bordello. This area behind the grands magasins has always been an area linked to prostitution, with 19th century scenes described in the works of Gaston Leroux and Balzac. Mostly though this has been of the seedy kind that still exists today, but the One-Two-Two establishment was of a different style altogether. It was a venue that attracted counts, princes, actors and politicians, men and women.

The first three floors of the building were the original townhouse of the Maréchal Murat, a Napoleanic war hero who was later declared King of Naples. It was purchased in the early 1930s by Marcel Jamat who then immediately set out on a large-scale rebuild, adding an extra four floors and an extravagant interior. Jamet wanted a place

that would fulfill almost any fantasy or fetish, with each room decorated according to a particular theme. There was a lavish Rome-themed room, a mysterious African room, recreations of luxurious yachts, Indian colonial scenes and even a rural countryside room complete with straw. 

>more