Cultural Power: 25hours – A Hotel Experience and More from Paris
- Rüdiger Gottschalk
- Oct 21
- 2 min read
Cultural Mosaic in the Heart of Paris
The NENI restaurant reflects the cultural diversity surrounding Paris’s Gare du Nord. A mosaic of culinary cultures unfolds here – Persian, Arabic, Moroccan, Israeli, Spanish, German, and Austrian influences blend into one unique dining experience.
Haya Molcho, the creative mind behind NENI, is an Israeli-born chef based in Austria. Just as her cuisine thrives on diversity, the 25hours Hotel Terminus Nord celebrates cultural openness and individuality. Every corner of the hotel – rooms, bar, lobby, and restaurant – embodies creative expression through design and art.
Art, Music & Global Design
In room 426, overlooking one of Paris’s busiest train stations, hangs a poster titled “The 25hours Express to Kottywood” – a homage to Tamil artist Sushant Sandal and the Tamil community living around the Gare du Nord.
Shelves display colorful Clonette figures from Ghana, and an African mask crafted from recycled canisters decorates the wall. In the Sape-Bar, a DJ booth stands ready for intimate live events – this time featuring an African string musician. Behind him, a wall of LPs showcases musical legends: Miriam Makeba, Kool & The Gang, and Village People.
At noon, guests enjoy lunch at NENI Paris, while afternoons invite co-working sessions in the Sape-Bar – with panoramic views of the Gare du Nord, Europe’s largest train station, opened in 1846 and serving over 600,000 travelers daily. It’s also the main hub for the Eurostar, connecting Cologne, Brussels, Paris, and London.
From the Gare du Nord to Parisian Art & Culture
From the Gare du Nord, visitors can easily access taxis, subways, and buses—or take a longer ride to the Fondation Louis Vuitton.
From October 17, 2025, to March 2, 2026, the foundation presents a major retrospective of Gerhard Richter, one of the most influential contemporary artists. The exhibition features 275 works spanning from 1962 to 2024, including oil paintings, glass and steel sculptures, drawings, watercolors, and overpainted photographs—offering a comprehensive view of over six decades of Richter’s art.
Previously, the foundation showcased “Pop Forever. Tom Wesselmann & …” (April 9 – September 1, 2025), exploring the vibrant world of Pop Art, and more recently hosted a tribute to David Hockney.
The Pulse of Paris
Paris never stops inspiring. The Louvre with the Mona Lisa, the Musée d’Orsay with its Impressionist masterpieces, and the Le Marais district with boutique shops and bistros are just the beginning.
Nearby lies the Rue des Abbesses, below Montmartre and near Saint-Lazare, famously painted by Claude Monet. The contrasts of Paris are everywhere: the working-class neighborhoods of Porte de Clignancourt border the affluent Neuilly-sur-Seine.
At Porte de Clignancourt, the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen—Europe’s largest flea and antique market—invites treasure hunters. Here, small shops and open-air stalls sell everything from vintage fashion and furniture to rare art. Fake designer accessories move as fast as genuine oil paintings worth thousands.
Paris – a city of diversity and contrasts, always alive, always surprising.
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