Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The hotel of Gramont, located at 15 Place Vendôme in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, was built between 1708 and 1710 by architect Pierre Bullet for Anne de Gramont, Duchess and wife of Antoine-Charles de Gramont. Originally acquired by Antoine Bitault de Vaillé for Anne Baillet de La Cour, it was then sold in 1721 to the Count of Lautrec, who in 1722 welcomed the young Louis XV to attend a diplomatic parade. The Marquis de Villette became its owner in 1750, before Claude Darras, secretary of the king, gave it in 1792 to Crédit immobilier de France.

In the 19th century, the Nitot family, renowned jewellers, kept the hotel until 1897, when César Ritz acquired it to become a palace. The architect Charles Mewès completely renovated, and the hotel opened in 1898. In 1979, Mohamed Al-Fayed became its owner and undertook major renovations between 1980 and 1987, and from 2012 to 2016, amounting to 140 million euros. The adjacent Crozat hotel, built in 1999, completes the whole.

Ranked a historic monument for its facades and roofs in 1930, the hotel also protects its 18th century salon, cabinet and boudoir, registered since 1927. These spaces bear witness to the architectural fascist of the time, mixing aristocratic history and hotel prestige.

The Ritz hotel, born from the merger of the hotels of Gramont and Crozat, today embodies an architectural and world heritage. Its history reflects the transformations of Place Vendôme, from the noble residences of the eighteenth century to the luxurious palaces of the twentieth century, while preserving protected heritage elements.

Among the notable events were the presence of John Law in 1714, a tenant of the hotel, or the visit of Louis XV in 1722. These anecdotes illustrate its central role in Parisian life, between political power, finance and elegance, for more than three centuries.

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