Hôtel Biron

The Hôtel Biron is an 18th-century private mansion in Paris, standing at 77 rue de Varenne in the 7th arrondissement, and since 1919 it has been home to the Musée Rodin.

Why does the building carry so many different names?

Few Parisian mansions have changed names as often as this one. It was first called the Hôtel Peyrenc-de-Moras, after the man who commissioned its construction. Over time it became known as the Hôtel du Maine, before finally settling on the name it carries today, Hôtel Biron, taken from a later owner of the property. Anyone researching the address will come across all three names, and it helps to know upfront that they all refer to the same building.

Who built it, and when?

Construction ran from 1727 to 1732, under the direction of architect Jean Aubert. This was a period when Paris saw a wave of hôtels particuliers rise across the city - private townhouses built for wealthy patrons, each combining a residence with its own garden grounds. The Hôtel Biron belongs squarely to that tradition: a mansion designed for private life rather than public use, in a style typical of the era's aristocratic architecture.

How did a private mansion become a museum?

In 1919, the building took on a new role as the Musée Rodin, an institution dedicated to the work of sculptor Auguste Rodin. That shift from private residence to public museum is what gives the address its current identity. Visitors searching for the building today are far more likely to encounter it as the Musée Rodin than under its earlier historical names, even though the structure itself dates back nearly two centuries earlier.

Where exactly is it located?

The mansion sits at 77 rue de Varenne, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris - a district known for its stately architecture and central position on the Left Bank. Its coordinates place it at roughly 48.8553 N, 2.3158 E. Being situated in the 7th arrondissement means the building keeps company with some of the city's most historically significant streets and residences.

What should visitors keep in mind?

Because the building now functions as a museum, a visit to 77 rue de Varenne is as much about the mansion itself as about anything displayed inside it - the structure is a historical landmark in its own right, independent of its current use. It is worth remembering that despite the different names attached to it over the centuries, there is only one building and one address: whether referred to as the Hôtel Biron or the Musée Rodin, visitors are talking about the same place.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Hôtel Biron? An 18th-century private mansion in Paris at 77 rue de Varenne, designed by architect Jean Aubert and built between 1727 and 1732.

What other names has the building had? It was originally called the Hôtel Peyrenc-de-Moras, later the Hôtel du Maine, and eventually the Hôtel Biron.

What is housed there today? Since 1919, the building has been home to the Musée Rodin, a museum dedicated to the work of sculptor Auguste Rodin.

Where in Paris is the Hôtel Biron located? In the 7th arrondissement of Paris, at 77 rue de Varenne.