Hôtel de Sully

Hôtel de Sully Review

This early Baroque gem, built in 1624, is one of the city's loveliest hôtels particuliers, with an equally lovely garden. Like much of the area, it fell into ruin until the 1950s, when it was rescued by the administration of French historic monuments, Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques, which is headquartered here. This is also one of two homes of the Jeu de Paume (the other is in the Tuileries), which stages regular photography exhibitions. The garden is open to the public. After an extensive and much-delayed renovation is completed (in late 2011), the private apartment of the Duchess de Sully—four rooms furnished with period pieces—will open for visits for the first time, by reservation only, for a small charge. The Orangerie in the garden will also reopen with a branch of the tea salon Angelina. The bookstore (with a 17th-century ceiling of exposed wooden beams) stocks specialized Paris guides in English.