Hôtel d'Albret

The Hôtel d’Albret is a historic townhouse in Paris's 4th arrondissement, standing on the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois. The oldest parts of the building date to the mid-17th century and may have been built to designs by François Mansart. The property originally belonged to Gabriel de Guénégaud before passing to his son-in-law César d’Albret, who gave the building its name. The street facade as you see it today reflects the remodeling carried out between 1740 and 1744 by Jean-Baptiste Vautrin, while the portal is decorated with carvings by Jean-Baptiste Martin. The building has been a protected historic monument since 1889. After the City of Paris acquired it in 1975 and carried out a comprehensive renovation, the hôtel now houses the offices of the city's cultural administration.