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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Au Roi de la Bière brewery, located at 119 rue Saint-Lazare in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, is an architectural testimony of the last quarter of the 19th century. Originally built in 1892 by the architect Chausson as a restaurant, it was profoundly transformed two years later. In 1894, architect Paul Marbeau raised the building and redesigned its façade on behalf of the Alsatian restorer Jacqueminot Graff, giving it an Alsatian regionalist style marked by the use of bricks and veneered wood.

The façade, now classified as historical monuments since 1997, is distinguished by a central statue of Gambrinus, a mythological figure associated with beer, as well as a stork adorning the fireplace. These elements, typical of Alsatian inspiration, contrast with the Parisian context. Inside, the three enfilade rooms on the ground floor, decorated with moulded staff probably dating from 1892, complete this remarkable ensemble. Since 1998, the building has been home to a McDonalds restaurant, illustrating a contemporary re-appropriation of historical heritage.

The building is part of the urban history of Paris, in the immediate vicinity of the Saint-Lazare station, an emblematic place for railway development and the modernization of the capital in the 19th century. Its architectural style, directly inspired by the Alsatian traditions, also reflects the internal migrations in France at that time, where Alsatian artisans and restorers marked the Parisian landscape. Partial protection of the monument in 1997 underscores its heritage importance, despite subsequent changes in its commercial use.

The protected elements include the street façade, the roofs with their sculptures (Gambrinus and the stork), and the enfilade of the three rooms on the ground floor. These preservation choices highlight the artistic and historical value of the brewery, while allowing adaptation to modern functions. The building thus remains a unique example of the architectural eclecticism of the late 19th century, mixing regional heritage and integration into the Parisian fabric.

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