La Belle Époque was a time at the beginning of the 20th century when social, cultural, and technological revolutions laid the foundation for a century of dynamic change. It was a time of peace and joie de vie.
On the eve of the 21st century we felt it was time to recapture the joie de vivre. We decided to create a new room and name it after that beautiful time 100 years ago, La Belle Époque. The room was opened on November 9th, 1999 after a major transformation of the old factory basement. Our intent was to bring elements of La Belle Époque era into our space. This meant incorporating Art Nouveau which represented a return to nature and simplicity. It was in fact a reaction against the ornate excess of the Victorian era.
The wine cellar gates, the chairs, the tiles, the stained glass and the candle holders all reflect the natural simplicity that is "Art Nouveau". The cast iron fence with grape motif that surrounds the fountain was made in France during La Belle Époque era. Acquiring this rare piece gave impetus to our project and was used to make a mould for the production of our wall tiles.
Our two well worn bars built in 1900 come from a hardware store in Guelph, Ontario and are unintentionally representative of the art nouveau period.
Our wine cellar celebrates the favorite drink of La Belle Époque, champagne. Our selection is extensive with both vintage and non vintage champagnes. Beyond champagne our international list includes an outstanding selection of some of the world's finest sparkling wines.
We hope that the ambiance of La Belle Époque encourages you to take time to savour you own joie de vivre.
Original Academy text · 2012. View the original capture