Hôtel de Montmorin

Hôtel de Montmorin is a 17th-century private mansion at number 3 Place des Vosges, in the Marais district of Paris's 4th arrondissement.

Where exactly is it located?

The building sits at number 3 on Place des Vosges, one of the oldest planned squares in Paris, laid out under Henri IV in the early 1600s. Before construction began, the plot had been occupied by the stables of the neighboring Hôtel des Tournelles. Today, framed by the square's uniform façades of brick and stone, the Hôtel de Montmorin blends into one of the most photographed corners of the Marais, a short walk from the surrounding cafés and boutiques that draw visitors to this part of the city.

Why does the building carry the Montmorin name?

King Henri IV granted the land to Simon Le Gras de Vaubercey, secretary to Queen Anne of Austria, and to his son Nicolas, who held the same court position. When Nicolas died, the property passed to his daughter, Anne Le Gras de Vaubercey (1624–1709). Her marriage in 1651 to François Gaspard de Montmorin, marquis de Saint Hérem, gave the mansion the family name it still bears today, even though the Montmorins themselves did not remain its owners for long.

Who owned the mansion afterward?

Ownership later passed to Nicolas Huguet de Sémonville, a counselor at the Parliament of Paris, who died in 1729. Nearly fifty years on, in 1776, the property was sold to Marie Anne Loyat, widow of Jean Baptiste Claude de Bragelongne. This chain of owners mirrors the pattern seen across much of Place des Vosges, where mansions regularly changed hands among Paris's judicial and administrative elite over the 17th and 18th centuries.

What should visitors look for from the outside?

The mansion's standout feature is its 17th-century staircase, preserved with its original wrought-iron railing; it was listed as a historic monument by decree on 22 October 1953. Four years later, on 2 March 1957, protection was extended to the façade facing the square, both roof slopes, and the vaulted arcaded gallery running along the ground floor. That covered arcade is one of the defining details of Place des Vosges as a whole, letting visitors walk the perimeter of the square under shelter regardless of the weather.

Can the interior be visited?

No — the Hôtel de Montmorin remains a private residence and is not open to the public as a museum or hotel. What visitors can take in is the exterior: the façade overlooking the square and a stroll beneath the arcades, which is enough to appreciate the historic character of the whole ensemble.

Najczęstsze pytania / Frequently asked questions

Where is the Hôtel de Montmorin? At number 3 Place des Vosges, in the Marais, Paris's 4th arrondissement.

Where does the name come from? From François Gaspard de Montmorin, marquis de Saint Hérem, who married the property's heiress, Anne Le Gras de Vaubercey, in 1651.

What parts of the building are protected as historic monuments? The staircase and its wrought-iron railing (listed in 1953), plus the façade, roof, and vaulted arcade gallery (classified in 1957).

Is it open to visitors? No, it's a private mansion; you can only view the façade and walk the arcade from outside.