First Swiss legation 1857 (≈ 1857)
Installation avenue des Champs-Élysées, 8th arrondissement.
1938
Final installation
Final installation 1938 (≈ 1938)
The embassy established rue de Grenelle.
13 juillet 1972
Occupation by Autonomists
Occupation by Autonomists 13 juillet 1972 (≈ 1972)
Action of the Aries group for the Jurassian cause.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Tania Cavassini - Ambassador of Switzerland
Positioned since 2025 in Paris.
Famille de Besenval - Historical owner
The bourgeois family of Solothurn associated with the hotel.
Origin and history
The hotel Chanac de Pompadour, located at 142 rue de Grenelle in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, is a historic mansion. Since 1938, it has been home to the Swiss Embassy in France, replacing several previous addresses occupied by the Swiss legation since 1857. This building, also known as Hotel de Besenval, derives its name from the bourgeois family of Solothurn, reflecting the close ties between Switzerland and France.
Before its final installation on rue de Grenelle, the Swiss diplomatic representation occupied various Parisian places: Avenue des Champs-Élysées (1857-1859), Rue d'Aumale (1860-1864), and Rue Cambon (1883-1894). In 1938, the Chanac Hotel in Pompadour became its permanent seat, marking stability after decades of moves. On 13 July 1972, the building was briefly occupied by Jurassian autonomists from the Aries group, an event marking its recent history.
The hotel today embodies almost a century and a half of Swiss diplomacy in France. Its central location and architecture make it a symbol of bilateral relations, while works such as the Hotel de Besenval (2013) or A Swiss Embassy in Paris (1910) document its historical importance. Switzerland also maintains an extensive consular network in France, with representations in Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg and other cities.
