Élysée Palace

The Élysée Palace in Paris is the official residence and office of the president of the French Republic. Built in the early 18th century, the city mansion lies in the 8th arrondissement, north of the Seine, and has been the permanent home of France's heads of state since 1873. Originally designed by Armand Claude Mollet for the Count of Évreux, the property changed hands several times, among its owners the Marquise de Pompadour, who had it elegantly refurbished, as well as various members of the House of Bourbon. During the French Revolution, the building served for a time as a depot for confiscated furniture, before it became a stately residence under Napoleon I and his brother-in-law Joachim Murat. Murat had the palace extensively remodeled, and the main staircase and ballroom, both still standing today, are named after him. After Napoleon's abdication and the return of the Bourbons, the building was declared the official seat of the presidents of the Second Republic by decree in 1848, a function it has held ever since.

In terms of architecture and function, the palace is divided into the administrative area and the president's private residence in the east wing. The ballroom, known as the Salon Murat, now serves as the meeting room for the French cabinet. Historic paintings hang here, including depictions of the Tiber and of Benrath Palace, which recall Murat's era. In the Court of Honor, the president receives foreign politicians for working visits, often accompanied by a guard of honor of the Garde républicaine. The palace is not only a place of political decision-making but also a symbol of diplomatic relations, as shown, for example, by the signing of the Élysée Treaty between France and Germany in 1963.

Behind the scenes, an extensive staff is at work, made up of the secretary-general, presidential advisers, a security council, and other specialists. While the presidential office officially has around 150 employees of its own, additional staff are paid from ministry budgets. The most important advisers have their offices directly in the palace, while many others work in the surrounding buildings, which are closed to traffic. The First Lady also has her own rooms. The palace is generally not open to visitors, as it serves as an active seat of government, but its historical significance and its role at the heart of Parisian politics make it one of the best-known sites in France.