This charming Mansion ("Hotel particulier" in French) has a very unique history. It is located in the 14th arrondissement on the rue du Faubourg Saint Jacques but was in fact built on the Champs Elysées in 1777. At that time the Champs Elysées was still in the countryside of Paris and this house was famous for "parties" that were done there (Duc of Richechelieu had his love affairs there). In 1927 the building is bought by business men who want to use the place to build a new building on the Champs Elysées but as it was already classified as a national monument, they donated the building to the French State and the whole Mansion was transfered stone by stone to its new location in the 14th arrondissemnt near the Paris Observatory where the State found this nice garden to rebuilt it. Since then it has been the home of the " Société des Gens de Lettres" (Litterature society) founded 1838 by famous author like Balzac, Victor Hugo or George Sand.
This was the Friday History class ! Have a great weekend (sun and blue sky is back in Paris).
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5 comments:
Laurent, thanks for the history lesson! Glad to hear that the heritage was preserved as too much is destroyed in the name of progress and development. Merci!
nice...
What a rich history! Thanks for giving us the background.
I'm always amazed that they can move an entire building like that.
Very interesting....Barb
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