Banque de France

Banque de France

Location: 31 Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs

English translation

"The Marquis de La Vrillière had a palace built by François Mansart between 1634 and 1640, on the site of the moats of Charles V's wall. In 1713, the hotel passed to Alexandre de Bourbon, Count of Toulouse, son of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan. From 1713 to 1719, Robert de Cotte redesigned what is now known as the Hôtel de Toulouse. On the death of the Duke of Penthièvre in 1793, the confiscated hotel was occupied by the “Bulletin des Lois”, then by the National Printing Office. On March 24, 1811, the Banque de France moved into the Hôtel de Toulouse, which had been extensively transformed and enlarged, and in 1853 was given a monumental façade along rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs." (Translated by DeepL and ChatGPT)

Background notes

  • The Marquis de La Vrillière was Louis Phélypeaux, a French statesman who served as Secretary of State. He instructed François Mansart, a renowned French architect of the 17th century, a highly influential French classical architect, to build a hotel on this site. It was originally called the Hôtel de La Vrillière (later to become the Hôtel de Toulouse).
  • The hotel was built near Charles V's wall, a defensive structure constructed around Paris in the 14th century. By the time the hotel was built (1634-1640), the wall was no longer needed for defence, and parts of it were being dismantled or repurposed.
  • Alexandre de Bourbon, Count of Toulouse, acquired the hôtel in 1713. He was the legitimised son of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan. Under his ownership, the property was remodelled by Robert de Cotte, the First Architect to the King, and renamed the Hôtel de Toulouse.
  • Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre (1725–1793), the son of Alexandre de Bourbon, inherited the hotel after his father’s death in 1737. Following the Duke’s death in 1793 during the French Revolution, the hôtel was confiscated. It was repurposed for state functions, hosting the Bulletin des Lois (the French law bulletin) and the National Printing Office.
  • The Hôtel de Toulouse also houses the Galerie Dorée, a grand and ornate gallery used for receptions and events. The Galerie Dorée is notable for its stunning 17th-century decoration, rivalling the grandeur of Versailles, with exquisite gilding and paintings. The Galerie Dorée was constructed in the early 17th century, likely between 1635 and 1640, as part of the original design of the Hôtel de La Vrillière. However, it was significantly modified under the Count of Toulouse's ownership (after 1713). Robert de Cotte was responsible for much of its current appearance, including its famous gilded decoration.
  • The Banque de France was founded on 18 January 1800 by a group of bankers at the instigation of the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte. The headquarters of the Banque de France has been located in the Hôtel de Toulouse since 1811.  
  • While the Banque de France is not regularly open to the public, the Galerie Dorée can still be visited during specific occasions, such as European Heritage Days and select Saturday mornings through guided tours.
Galerie Dorée