Michelin House

Michelin House stands at the corner of Fulham Road and Sloane Avenue in Chelsea, a mixed-use building that began life in 1911 as the first permanent British base of the French tyre company. Its reinforced-concrete frame and glass cupolas were early examples of industrial design adapted to a busy London corner. The façade still shows three large stained-glass windows featuring Bibendum, the Michelin mascot, alongside panels that celebrate racing drivers and historic events. The building’s Art Nouveau and early Art Deco details make it worth the journey. François Espinasse, a Michelin engineer, designed and built it in five months. Inside, a mosaic in the entrance hall shows Bibendum raising a glass of bolts and nuts beneath the words Nunc est Bibendum. Thirty-four decorative panels around the hall depict famous cars and races, while the first-floor windows carry engraved Paris street scenes. Visitors find the entrance hall lined with the racing panels and the mosaic floor. The ground floor now holds shops and restaurants, including the Bibendum Restaurant & Oyster Bar. Above, the first three floors provide modern office space for businesses. At street level, the restored façade and glass cupolas recall the building’s original purpose and charm.