Historic Houses of Paris: Residences of the Ambassadors

A unique glimpse inside a world of luxury, tradition, and splendour. 

Many historic homes in Paris serve as residences to foreign ambassadors; these historical sites are closed to the general public. From a seventeenth-century hôtel particulier, to a Belle Epoque palace, to a distinctively contemporary setting, each residence rivals the next in its beauty, art collection, and period furniture set against a backdrop of accomplished refinement. 

Alain Stella invites us over the threshold inside the most prestigious chancelleries and ambassador residences in Paris — from China and Peru to Egypt and Poland. Tapestries inspired by Goya’s drawings grace the lavish salons at the Spanish residence. Jean Prouvé and Charlotte Perriand created a minimalist interior at the Japanese residence that evokes the refined style of a traditional Japanese home. The palace of Eugène de Beauharnais — home to the German ambassadors since 1818 — retains its elaborate Empire style, intact since the time of Josephine. 

Superb photographs, specially commissioned for this book over the course of a year, divulge the secrets of these previously unpublished artistic and architectural treasures.

About the Author:

Alain Stella is a traveller and writer. He has published numerous books with Flammarion including The Book of Coffee (1997), The Book of Tea (1992/2005), The Little Book of Coffee (2001), French Tea: Mariage Frères—Three Centuries of Savoir-Faire (2009), Distinctive Vintages (2008), and The Book of Spices (2000). 

Francis Hammond’s photographs have been published in French Tea: Mariage Frères and Elegant Entertaining (2009). He regularly works in the fashion and advertising industries, contributes to international magazines, and divides his time between New York and Paris.