You’re standing in front of the former Grand Hôtel of Arcachon, now known as Résidence Carnot. Behind this majestic Haussmann-style façade lies an extraordinary story. Built by the Pereire brothers and inaugurated on June 12, 1866, it was a revolutionary palace for its time, boasting 150 luxurious rooms, a hydraulic elevator, and central heating. It welcomed Europe’s elite, including Empress Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sissi, in 1890, and President Adolphe Thiers in 1875. But take a closer look at its architecture: the U-shaped layout, the rooftop terrace… this isn’t the original building. On September 20, 1906, a devastating fire destroyed the hotel entirely. The reconstruction, completed in 1910, gave it the distinctive silhouette you see today. The new Grand Hôtel reopened with even more grandeur, its features included a panoramic restaurant overlooking the sea, a grand Empire-style salon, and an artesian well reaching 134 metres underground. Notice the loggias framed by columns and the pediments engraved with “G.H.” for Grand Hôtel. During the First World War, the building served as a military hospital, and under German occupation from 1940 to 1944, it was used as a barracks. Hotel operations resumed after the war but ended permanently around 1955. Today, converted into private apartments, the building still exudes its Belle Époque elegance, standing proudly on Place Carnot as a timeless witness to the golden age of this legendary seaside resort.