"The Louis XVI Hotel on the rue Boissy d'Anglas just off the Faubourg St. Honoré in Paris had been closed for renovations for four years. The street it was on was particularly appropriate, open only to foot traffic. It was guarded by a policeman, who would open the barrier for a car to pass carrying an important person, or guests of the exclusive hotel. Smaller than the grand 'palaces,' the five-star hotels of Paris, it was a favorite among those...