A legal dispute between Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah al-Thani, a Qatari royal, and his affluent neighbors, the Arnault family, has reached France’s supreme court. The conflict centered around a garden adjoining a historic flat on Avenue Charles Floquet, which boasts one of the most coveted views of the Eiffel Tower. Sheikh Thani, an art collector and cousin to the Emir of Qatar, purchased the €20 million property in 2009 and began transforming the garden in 2012, sparking a legal battle that has captivated Paris.
Sheikh Thani believed the garden was his exclusive property and proceeded to install ventilation blocks and air conditioning units to cool the 731 sq m flat. However, his neighbors—who include the Arnault family, owners of LVMH and Europe’s wealthiest dynasty—contested this claim. The Arnaults, led by Bernard Arnault, the fifth richest person in the world with an estimated $180 billion fortune, argued the 303 sq m garden was a communal space, shared among residents of the luxury apartment block. They demanded access to the garden and the reversal of Thani’s renovations.
Although the garden had been largely ignored by other residents for decades, Thani’s excavation works reignited interest. The case escalated as both sides enlisted some of France’s most prominent legal teams, and the dispute ultimately reached the Cour de cassation, France’s highest court.
In December, the court ruled that Sheikh Thani had the sole right to use the garden, citing his consistent maintenance of the space and the fact that other residents had not entered it for over 30 years. However, the ruling also required Thani to undo some of his modifications, including filling in the holes he had dug for air conditioning units and restoring the garden to its original appearance. The court deemed these excavations exceeded the “customary rights” granted to him by his neighbors.
For Bernard Arnault and his daughter Delphine, chief executive of Christian Dior, the decision was a partial victory. While they failed to secure a key to the garden gate that opens onto the Champ de Mars, they successfully halted further excavation. The high-profile dispute has drawn attention not only for its legal twists but also for the illustrious history of the apartment itself.
Originally built for Prince Demetre Soutzo, a Romanian general, the flat became renowned in the 20th century when it was owned by French writer Paul Morand, a confidante of Marcel Proust. Morand hosted celebrated salons in the 18-meter-long, 7-meter-high reception room, adding to the property’s mystique. Despite owning the flat for over 15 years, Sheikh Thani has yet to leave a similar mark on Parisian society.
