My Visit to Paris' New Attraction 'Hôtel de la Marine' in 2024

The Hôtel de la Marine is located on Place de la Concorde, which was built in 1748 to display the equestrian statue of Louis XV and was originally called Place Louis XV. During the French Revolution, the king's statue was removed and the crown jewels of the Admiralty were stolen. In 1795, the square was renamed "Place de la Concorde".

巴黎海軍府Hôtel de la Marine — 海軍府Hôtel de la Marine中庭兩側分別有兩家風格迴異的餐廳

Thanks to its privileged location, its colonnaded balcony overlooking the Place de la Concorde offers views of the Eiffel Tower, the golden-domed Hotel des Invalides and the Champs Elysées. Unfortunately, my visit to Paris coincided with preparations for the Olympic opening ceremony. Place de la Concorde was under control and the view was blocked by a stage being built.

The Hôtel de la Marine can be said to be the masterpiece of French royal decorative arts. From this mansion, you can get a glimpse of the glory of the Louis XV regime. During the reign of Louis XV, this neoclassical palace served as the apartment of the King's Master of Furniture Stores. The steward's job was to purchase and maintain furniture for the king's palace. Visiting the Palais-Naval you can also learn about the life of Marc-Antoine Thierry de Ville, the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne (Garde-Meuble de la Couronne). After several years of painstaking restoration work, the Palais du Admiralty opened to the public in 2021, becoming one of Paris' newest tourist attractions. It is recommended to visit this unique new attraction while visiting Place de la Concorde.

The Salon of Honor is as dazzling as

the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles

Entering the Navy Palace from the cobblestone courtyard next to Place de la Concorde, and walking along the huge marble staircase, you will feel as if you have returned to the past. The interior has been restored to look like new. Among them, the Salons d'Honneur is decorated with gilded lines and crystal chandeliers, similar to the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles.。

In the mid-19th century, the gallery was extensively restored and used as a reception room, with the purpose of dazzling all visitors with its splendid decoration. The decoration of these rooms is magnificent: white panels highlight carved and gilded wooden decorations. The top of the fireplace on either side of the whole is equipped with mirrors that reflect the chandeliers and gilding on the ceiling. It was the perfect setting for various prestigious events held by ministers of state or the navy in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Wandering around the salon, you’ll be amazed at how resplendent even the royal furniture administrator’s residence is.

Other rooms in Admiralty House display the exquisite decoration of the Enlightenment. The aristocratic homes of this period were richly decorated with fine furniture, wallpapers, curtains and paintings. You can also see precious antiques, such as a desk made by the famous 18th-century joiner Jean-Henri Riesener.

The wall decoration next to the desk is so delicate that it is breathtaking.

In this room, there are three unique pieces of furniture designed by cabinet maker Jean-Henri Riesener: a chest of drawers, a transforming table and a writing desk. Beyond this, it is possible to discover many extraordinary pieces of furniture, commissioned masterpieces from the great master cabinetmakers. You will be able to admire the last two works, classified as national treasures, commissioned by Governor-General Pierre-Elisabeth de Fontanie to decorate his private apartment.

After visiting the study room, I came to a bedroom,

The exquisite layout of the bathroom reflects the elegant lifestyle of the owner at that time, which opened my eyes.

The Admiralty collaborated with restorers Joseph Achkar and Michel Charrière to restore the atmosphere of the entire beautiful residence. From the intensity of the light falling on the site to the antique character of the decoration and the position of each piece of furniture and object, everything has been carefully thought out, allowing the visitor to immerse himself in the beautiful style of the interior decoration of the Enlightenment era.

This room is a space for socializing and entertaining. The interesting decorations on the walls and exquisite furniture create a gorgeous leisure and socializing place.

Many popular board games at the time were displayed on site,

These board games seem interesting, but unfortunately there are no commentators on site, and the headset tour does not explain much about how people played these games at that time.

Food in restaurants has become a symbol of showing off wealth

When you walk into the restaurant of Haijun Mansion, you will find porcelain tableware with floral patterns, and the decorated dining table seems ready to welcome guests. In the 18th century, Admiralty was a vibrant palace, with countless servants, craftsmen, vendors, and visitors coming and going every day while the owner lived here.

Followed the audio guide, I learned that since sugar was a precious commodity at that time, the owner placed several portions of sugar on the table to show off his wealth, as well as bread, oysters, and bowls of fresh apricots, grapes, Figs and apples.

Another key bedroom is green as the main color.

The brightly colored murals in this room fully demonstrate the Chinese style, and the lifelike characters are amazing.

The red bedroom next to the green bedroom is decorated with creamy white and gold lines to outline the extremely detailed decoration.

From the bed, to the seats to the curtains and even the screens, they are all of the same color, making the whole space look gorgeous.

After passing through the red bedroom, there is a small room full of mirrors, which are painted with colorful patterns featuring angels.

Another blue room is decorated beautifully and elegantly, showing the owner's extraordinary taste.

Salon Diplomatique

It was formerly the Jewelry Room, which was used to preserve the royal jewels during the old regime, and became a diplomatic lounge after the French Revolution. A door hidden in the decoration allows spies to hide behind the door and eavesdrop on conversations in the room.

On either side of the fireplace you can admire two majestic portraits of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie painted by Winterhalter. It also houses the Louis XV-style desk of Victor Schœlcher, Under Secretary of State for Naval and Colonial Affairs and Chairman of the Committee for the Abolition of Slavery in the French Colonies. Victor · Schercher devoted his life to defending human dignity and working to establish a democratic and social republic. In 1848, Victor Schercher, Under Secretary of State for the Navy, signed the decree abolishing slavery at this table.

Walking Through the Golden Corridor

Just Like Living in a Dream

Before the visit to the Navy Mansion ended, I passed through a golden corridor that was as bright as a dream. I felt blessed by wealth and wealth, and believed that I was about to be prosperous and wealthy.