Jane Rogoyska – Hotel Exile: Paris in the Shadow of War
The Queen's Hall, Cuckfield, RH17 5EL
Sunday 4th October 2026
The Hotel Lutetia, the only grand hotel on Paris’s Left Bank, has long been a gathering place for artists, writers and politicians.
In the 1930s, it attracted intellectuals and political activists. But when war broke out, the hotel became the headquarters of the German military intelligence service. In 1945, the Lutetia was requisitioned once more and became a reception centre for deportees returning from concentration camps.
Hotel Exile is about what happens on the edges of a war. A masterpiece of empathy and concision, Jane Rogoyska offers us a vision of individual human beings desperately trying to find a path through some of the 20th century’s most devastating events.
Hotel Exile was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026 and was a 2026 highlight for the Financial Times and Evening Standard.
Jane will be discussing her book with author and military historian, Gavin Mortimer who once lived near the Lutetia and says that Jane Rogoyska is the perfect storyteller of its poignant history.
Doors open about 15 minutes before the start time.
Booking will open for Sponsors, Benefactors and Friends at 9am on Saturday 15th August.
Booking opens to the public at 9am on Saturday 22nd August.
Tickets are £14 or £10 for those 24 or under.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
In the 1930s, it attracted intellectuals and political activists. But when war broke out, the hotel became the headquarters of the German military intelligence service. In 1945, the Lutetia was requisitioned once more and became a reception centre for deportees returning from concentration camps.
Hotel Exile is about what happens on the edges of a war. A masterpiece of empathy and concision, Jane Rogoyska offers us a vision of individual human beings desperately trying to find a path through some of the 20th century’s most devastating events.
Hotel Exile was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026 and was a 2026 highlight for the Financial Times and Evening Standard.
Jane will be discussing her book with author and military historian, Gavin Mortimer who once lived near the Lutetia and says that Jane Rogoyska is the perfect storyteller of its poignant history.
Doors open about 15 minutes before the start time.
Booking will open for Sponsors, Benefactors and Friends at 9am on Saturday 15th August.
Booking opens to the public at 9am on Saturday 22nd August.
Tickets are £14 or £10 for those 24 or under.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
