During our time in Paris, we stumbled upon another hidden gem for book lovers in Le Marais—L’Hôtel de Sully, which we featured in the previous post.
Let’s take a look at the historic building. The main entrance of Hôtel de Sully opens onto the bustling rue de Rivoli. There is a back entrance which connects to the southwest corner of Place de Vosges.
The bookstore occupies the large lower hall of the Hôtel de Sully today. The space was used for receptions in the 18th century, and was fully restored in 1963, then again in 1983.
Visitors can admire a magnificent ceiling with painted beams and joists, which was discovered in 1957, as well as traces of painted decorations in the window recesses.
In our last post [link], we showed the bookstore and its merchandises.
We forgot to mention in our earlier post that the bookstore that also offers a selection of English language books for international visitors. Many books and objects can be purchased online from the Boutique du Patrimonie.
The history of the Hôtel de Sully begins in 1624 when the financial controller Mesme Gallet decided to have a private mansion built in the heart of Le Marais, a fashionable district at the time.
The mansion was adorned with a garden and an orangery and had direct access to the Place Royale (now Place des Vosges)!
Maximilien de Béthune, first Duke of Sully, former Minister of Finance under Henry IV, purchased it in 1634. The Hôtel de Sully still bears the name of this family, who occupied it until the 18th century.
The mansion then passed into the hands of various owners… transformed several times in the 19th century to accommodate shops, artisans, and other tenants.
Classified as a historical monument as early as 1862, the Hôtel de Sully became state property in 1944. A long restoration campaign was then undertaken, culminating in the restoration of the orangery in 1973.
Since 1967, the Hôtel de Sully has housed the headquarters of the National Fund for Historic Monuments and Sites, which became the Center for National Monuments in 2000.
The Center has a very useful online map of all the national monuments of France, which allow access to the monument’s story and practical information for visiting. We bought a printed directory of these monuments – it was as big and heavy as a brick.
The courtyard and garden facades of L’Hôtel de Sully feature an elaborate decorative scheme, characterized by a blend of Mannerist style and Renaissance influences.
The ornamentation includes bas-relief and high-relief depicting allegories.
Looking for a magical escape in the heart of Paris? Come and discover its courtyard, adorned with splendid sculpted decorations, and its recently restored garden and a true secret passage that leads directly to Place des Vosges.
Place des Vosges is the oldest planned square in Paris, completed in 1612 by Henry IV. The square was often the place for the nobility to chat, and served as a meeting place for them. This was so until the French Revolution.
The nearest metro station to Hôtel de Sully is Saint-Paul, with Bastille and Sully-Morland also within easy walking distance.
Leave a Reply