4. The Pagoda

Step onto Paris’ rue de Babylon and you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’ve instantly been transported right into the world of ancient Japan. It belonged to the Chinese art dealer Mr. Ching Tsai Loo. He purchased the private manor on Rue de Courcelles in 1925, originally a Louis-Philippe style hotel particulier, and turned it into what it is today – a pagoda in the heart of Paris – with the help of the French architect Francois Bloch. It served as Mr. Loo’s family residence and as his gallery, Galerie C.T. Loo & Cie., filled with paintings, art objects, furniture, and porcelain for over 50 years. Purchased by a private investor in 2010, its doors are once more open to the public after a renovation.