Paris Universal Exhibition 1889 (≈ 1889)
Presentation of the chalet, gold medal obtained.
1889 (après)
Transfer to Bagnoles-de-l'Orne
Transfer to Bagnoles-de-l'Orne 1889 (après) (≈ 1889)
Purchase and winding by Georges Hartog.
20 décembre 2023
Monument protection
Monument protection 20 décembre 2023 (≈ 2023)
Registration by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The Swedish chalet in full, the facades and roofs of the annex to the garage, the gate and the fence, as well as the garden and its plate floor as delimited on the plan annexed to the decree, located on Parcel No. 204, 2 Albert-Christophle Boulevard shown in the cadastre section 022 AI: inscription by order of 20 December 2023
Key figures
Hugo Rahm - Architect
Designer of the chalet for the Exhibition.
Vilhelm Holmgren - Painter
Author of inner Swedish frescoes.
Georges Hartog - Industrial and thermal president
Buyer and sponsor of the winding.
Origin and history
The Swedish Chalet, located in Bagnoles-de-l'Orne in Normandy, is a wooden building designed by architect Hugo Rahm for the Universal Exhibition of 1889 in Paris. Presented as a showcase of Swedish know-how, it was produced by Ligna carpentry and awarded with a gold medal. After the exhibition, he was bought by industrialist Georges Hartog, president of the thermal baths of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne, who brought him back on site to make it a resort residence.
The building, remarkably preserved, is distinguished by its finely worked wood exterior decorations (frises, balustrades, lamprequins) and its interior paintings depicting Swedish landscapes, made by Vilhelm Holmgren. The vestibule, stairwell and several rooms have original ceilings, painted friezes and fittings. A garage topped with bedrooms was added east of the plot during the interwar period.
Stayed in the same family until 2022, the cottage underwent few modifications in the 20th century. It is now fully protected, including its facades, garden and portal, since a registration order in December 2023. Its L-shaped plan, its front gable and its semi-entered base make it a rare example of Scandinavian architecture transplanted into France.
The history of the chalet is linked to a political context: the Swedish Crown refused to participate officially in the Universal Exhibition of 1889, marking the centenary of the French Revolution, and an independent delegation of Swedish artists and industrialists presented this pavilion as a symbol of their artisanal excellence. Positioned at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, it attracted attention before being dismantled and rebuilt in Normandy.
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