Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well , what more can I say,,, worked in Paris very near this wonderful property and over the years awaited for its renovation ; finally done, it is gorgeous, The essence of the cachet and beauty of my eternal Paris and my belle France, A historic icon of Paris on the Place de la Concorde in the 8éme arrondissement de Paris, I participated in meetings held here , and glad enormously to find me pictures in my cd rom vaults that should be in my blog for you and me. Therefore, here is my take on the Hôtel de la Marine of Paris !!! Hope you enjoy this post as I

The Hôtel de la Marine constitutes the eastern edifice of a complex of two twin buildings framing Rue Royale. Its counterpart, originally intended to become the Hôtel des Monnaies is composed of four hotels: at No. 4, the Hôtel de Coislin, at No. 6, the Hôtel du Plessis-Bellière, at No. 8, the Hôtel Cartier, and at No. 10, the Hôtel de Crillon (see post). The complex currently houses the palace hotel known as the Hôtel de Crillon, the Automobile Club de France, and the Académie de Marine. The construction of the building behind Ange-Jacques Gabriel’s facades lasted from 1757 to 1774.The Hôtel de la Marine , originally Hôtel du Garde-Meuble de la Couronne is located at 2 place de la Concorde. The Garde-Meuble de la Couronne was the administration in charge of the King’s furniture.

The Hôtel de la Marine itself has a total surface area of 12,000 m2, including 4,000 m2 of built-up area, and has no fewer than 553 rooms, including the famous Salon des Amiraux (see pic). The façade was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, the King’s first architect and author of the plans for Place Louis-XV (which became Place de la Concorde). Its two pediments are decorated with reliefs representing allegories of Public Magnificence and Happiness. The hotel includes four interior courtyards: the Cour des Ateliers, the Basse-Courtyard, the Cour d’Honneur and the Cour de l’Intendant, the latter covered by a spectacular 300 m2 glass roof. The loggia adjoining the Salon des Amiraux, nicknamed the  balcon de l’État “or the balcony of the State, offers a breathtaking view of Place de la Concorde. The Mobilier national is still responsible for the furniture of the various National Palaces such as the Élysée (see post). It moved to Quai d’Orsay then rue Berbier-du-Mets , 13éme arrondissement of Paris) and never returned to his original walls.

The Hôtel de la Marine supposed to occupy only part of the building, the Garde-Meuble invested all the walls in 1767until the French revolution. From this period, it became the Hôtel de la Marine for two centuries. The hotel also houses several apartments, including the accommodation of the intendant of the Garde-Meuble. There is also the so-called chapel of Cardinal Richelieu, a laundry room, a library, workshops and stables. The treasure, amassed since the 16C by the kings of France, then composed of more than 10,000 stones, including unique pieces such as the “Grand Sapphire” of Louis XIV, the diamond “Sancy”, the “Regent” , pearls, rubies, emeralds, topazes and other sapphires. The Crown Jewels, including among other precious stones, the Blue Diamond of the Crown (the adornment of the Order of the King’s Golden Fleece and its large blue diamond) were notably stolen between September 11 and 16, 1792 at the the occasion of the burglary of the hotel. Most of the jewels were found two years later and joined the collections of the Natural History Museum from 1795. On deposit at the Louvre, they can now be admired in the Apollo gallery. The “Bleu de France” reappeared in England in 1812, but completely recut, which caused it to lose its original luster forever. It is now known as “Diamant Hope” and exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. A replica, built of the two buildings of the Place de la Concorde, is located in Philadelphia. The replica of the Hôtel de la Marine is located on the site of the former Family Court of Philadelphia, PA . Also in the same city in the United States, we also find the Free Library of Philadelphia, which is for its part a replica of the counterpart separated by the Rue Royale of the Hôtel de la Marine on the Place de la Concorde, the Hôtel de Coislin.

A bit of history, condense for you and me tell us that the Controller General of the King’s Garde-Meuble and Intendant of the latter, Pierre-Élisabeth de Fontanieu, had the Hôtel fitted out to meet the various needs of his administration: warehouse, workshops, official apartments, exhibition galleries. The hôtel also houses several apartments, including the accommodation of the intendant of the Garde-Meuble. The first public museum built on the principle of cabinets of curiosities includes three exhibition rooms: The Salle d’Armes which presents a collection of armor and weapons of the Kings of France (today at the Invalides and the Louvre); The Galerie des Grands Meubles, which houses large wardrobes of fabrics and a collection of tapestries that is unique in the world (now in the Louvre, the Mobilier National and the Palais Nationaux), and the Salle des Bijoux, which brings together vases of colored stones and rock crystal, goldwork, diplomatic gifts and the Crown Jewels, including diamonds mounted in sets, enclosed in display cases. Marc-Antoine Thierry de Ville-d’Avray, the King’s first valet, replaced the Marquis de Fontanieu in 1784. On June 17, 1791, the Constituent Assembly decided to conduct a complete inventory of the Garde-Meuble. Indeed, the flight of the royal family raised fears that they had taken their treasure with them or had commissioned relatives to recover it to pay the counter-revolutionary armies. The inventory report revealed no disappearance of the Crown Jewels, but a lack of gold. After the storming of the Tuileries during the massacres of September 1792, Interior Minister Roland had Thierry de Ville d’Avray arrested and had Jean-Bernard Restout appointed Director of the Garde-Meuble in his place.

On January 21, 1793 ,the execution of Louis XVI and signing of Louis XVI’s death certificate On October 24, 1793, the signing of Marie-Antoinette’s death certificate Her execution report and death certificate were drawn up and signed on October 24, 1793, in the Salon des Bijoux du Garde-Meuble or Jewelry Room of the furniture storage unit. On October 6, 1789, Louis XVI left Versailles for Paris, and all the kingdom’s administrations then had to follow suit and find somewhere to settle in Paris. On February 27, 1802, Decrès convened the Bal de l’Europe at the request of First Consul Bonaparte. He brought together the ambassadors of foreign powers to inform them of France’s return to the community of nations. French nobles of the Ancien Régime who had just returned from exile were also invited, but were announced without their titles of nobility, unlike the foreign guests. It’s a way of signaling to them the change of regime. On February 12, 1866, the Procession of Nations took place in the midst of the imperial celebrations, the Marquis de Chasseloup-Laubat, Minister of the Navy of Napoleon III, gave a famous costume ball on February 12, 1866. The costume ball brought together around 3,000 guests and foreigners were struck by this magnificence, reported by several newspapers of the time. The Emperor and Empress, in black dominoes, made their entrance at 23h (11 p.m.), and were followed by a procession representing the four parts of the world, Asia, Europe, Africa and America, the fifth, Oceania, remaining ignored.

During the Nazis occupation, the Kriegsmarine (Navy) headquarters occupied the Hôtel de la Marine premises, which had been hastily abandoned in 1940. During the Liberation of Paris in August 1944, the last fighting was concentrated around the Place de la Concorde and as the 2nd DB moved up the Rue de Rivoli, which housed many nazis headquarters, many Nazi soldiers took refuge in the Hôtel de la Marine. The last commandos took refuge on the roofs before surrendering, not without firing a few salvos during General Charles de Gaulle’s descent down the Champs-Élysées. In 1947, the government of Paul Ramadier was the last to integrate a Ministry of the Navy under this name and in its entirety (Military Admiralty, Commerce, Merchant Navy, Transport, Fisheries, etc.). All civil services were gradually attached to other administrations and left the Hôtel de la Marine. On July 13 and 14, 1989, guests of President François Mitterrand were able to follow the commemorative parade for the bicentenary of the French Revolution, designed by Jean-Paul Goude, from the loggia.

The official Center of National Monuments of France on the Hôtel de la Marine : https://www.hotel-de-la-marine.paris/en

The official Mobilier National ,historical furniture depot of France : https://www.mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr/fr/nous-connaitre/les-manufactures/manufactures-nationales

The Paris tourist office on the Hôtel de la Marine : https://parisjetaime.com/eng/culture/hotel-de-la-marine-p3647

There you go folks, a wonderful historical building recently renovated for all to see and enjoy in my belle France, This is gorgeous, sublime, what French tradition is all about. In the meantime a must to see while in Paris just take a peek ok, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Hôtel de la Marine of Paris !!! as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!