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| Tour Jean Sans Peur is the last remnant of Hôtel de Bourgogne |
Location: 18 Rue Étienne Marcel
Built in 1270 for Robert d'Artois, nephew of St. Louis, the mansion, which backs onto the walls built by Philippe Auguste, passed by marriage to the Dukes of Burgundy in 1318. It became their main residence in 1402; after having his cousin Louis of Orléans, the king’s brother, assassinated, Duke Jean sans Peur [John the Fearless] had the tower that bears his name built in 1408 at the centre of the hotel, which is still visible today. In 1543, the estate was subdivided and a street named Française, in honor of François 1er, was laid across it. On land located to the west of this road, the Confrères de la Passion [Brothers of the Passion] built a performance hall, inaugurated on August 30, 1548. In 1629, it became the theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and its troupe rivaled Molière's comedians.