Madame de Florian was a French socialite and actress who fled to the south of France during World War II. She kept her apartment in Paris on the Right Bank near the Opéra Garnier, though, in case she wanted to return. However, she never went back to it after the war. Since 1942, the apartment has been sitting untouched, until recently when an auctioneer entered her apartment. What he found was a time capsule, full of treasures.
All of the furniture from the time period remained just how she left it. It looks as if she was just there yesterday.
Although it seems strange, having taxidermy pieces in one’s home was once a sign of affluence.
The apartment is like a history lesson, showing what life was like during that time in Paris.
Inside, a painting by Giovanni Boldini was found, a portrait of the apartment’s owner herself Madame de Florian.
The painting was sold for 2.1 million euros and the rest of the items inside of the apartment would be worth thousands as well.
Stepping into this apartment is like stepping into history.
The apartment was able to remain abandoned and untouched because Madame de Florian continued paying the rent until her death in 2010 at the age of 91. Despite paying the rent, she never returned.