Hôtel de Noailles |
Location: 211 Rue Saint-Honoré
English translation
"Here stood one of the largest and most beautiful mansions in Paris, whose buildings and gardens extended as far west as 229 rue Saint-Honoré and as far south as the Tuileries. Built in 1687 by Henri Pussort, a State Councillor and uncle of Colbert, it was purchased in 1711 by Adrien-Maurice de Noailles, future Marshal of France and Minister of State. He gave it his name, had the gardens redesigned by Charpentier and transformed the buildings, remodeled by Lassurance, into a sumptuous museum. In the chapel, one of his granddaughters married La Fayette on April 11, 1774. In 1802, the Hôtel de Noailles became the residence of the Third Consul, Lebrun, and was returned to its owners in 1814, then divided up and destroyed after 1830." (Translated by DeepL and ChatGPT)
Background notes
- Henri Pussort was a member of the Council of State, an advisory body to the French monarch. He was also the uncle of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, one of the most influential ministers during the reign of Louis XIV, which likely contributed to his prominence.
- Adrien-Maurice de Noailles was a prominent French nobleman and military leader. He became the 3rd Duke of Noailles in 1708 and served as Marshal of France, a high military distinction. He fought in the War of the Spanish Succession and the War of the Polish Succession, where he distinguished himself and was made Marshal of France in 1734.
- Pierre Cailleteau, known as Lassurance, was a French architect who lived from 1655 to 1724. He was known for his work on various prestigious buildings, including the Palace of Versailles and numerous Parisian hôtels particuliers (grand townhouses). The reference to a "sumptuous museum" likely indicates that Lassurance transformed the Hôtel de Noailles into a grand showcase for art and valuable objects, a common practice among wealthy aristocrats of the time who collected and displayed art in their private residences.
- The granddaughter mentioned on the sign is Adrienne de Noailles (1759–1807). She was the daughter of Jean de Noailles, Duke of Ayen, and Henriette d'Aguesseau, making her a member of one of France’s most prominent noble families. On April 11, 1774, Adrienne married Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (commonly known as La Fayette or Lafayette). She was just 14 years old at the time, while he was 16. Their marriage was a union of two illustrious aristocratic families.
- La Fayette (1757–1834) was a French nobleman and military officer who became famous for his role in both the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolution. In the American Revolutionary War he volunteered to fight for the American colonies against British rule, becoming a close associate of George Washington and earning the title "Hero of Two Worlds." In the French Revolution (1789-1799), La Fayette was a key advocate for constitutional monarchy and a leader of the National Guard during the early stages of the Revolution.
- The French Revolution targeted aristocrats, particularly those associated with the monarchy or who fled France (émigrés). The Hôtel de Noailles and other family estates were confiscated as part of the revolutionary policy of biens nationaux (national goods), where noble properties were seized and often sold at auction to fund the revolutionary government. More generally, during the time of the French Revolution, the de Noailles family faced significant persecution, with at least five members executed by guillotine in 1794 during the Reign of Terror.
- In 1802, during Napoleon Bonaparte's rule as First Consul, the building became the residence of Charles-François Lebrun, the Third Consul, marking its use for governmental purposes until 1814. Lebrun later became the Arch-Treasurer of the French Empire and briefly served as the governor-general of Liguria. Lebrun played a significant role in reorganising France's national finances and administration during the Consulate and Empire periods.
- By 1814, during the Bourbon Restoration following Napoleon’s abdication, confiscated aristocratic properties like the Hôtel de Noailles were often returned to their original noble owners, or their heirs, if they had survived the tumult of the French Revolution and Napoleonic era.
- While the Noailles family regained the property, they faced challenges typical of post-revolutionary France, with the diminished economic and political position of the aristocracy. The property was divided into smaller parcels and sold off to various buyers. This was a common practice for aristocratic families who needed to liquidate assets or could no longer afford the upkeep of large estates.
- No remnants of the original Hôtel de Noailles exist today.
Hôtel de Noailles plans 1790 |