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Origin and history

The Hotel de la Païva, built between 1856 and 1865 at 25 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, was commanded by Esther Lachman (1819-1884), known as the Païva, an adventurer of Polish origin who became Prussian Countess. This ambitious project, entrusted to architect Pierre Manguin, aimed to create "the most beautiful house in Paris", inspired by a humiliation suffered in his youth. The exorbitant cost of 10 million gold francs and the duration of the works (10 years) caused scandal, but the result was a masterpiece of luxury and extravagance, mixing onyx from Algeria, rare marbles and Moorish decorations.

As early as 1866, the Païva organized a fabulous reception, attracting personalities such as the Goncourt brothers, Théophile Gautier or Gambetta, despite its exclusion from traditional aristocratic circles. The hotel, decorated by artists such as Barrias, Dalou and Paul Baudry, housed wonders such as a yellow onyx staircase, a Moorish bathroom with a silver bronze bathtub, and life-size sculptures. Its sumptuous furniture, including a conch-shaped bed and malachite fireplaces, reflected the eclectic and opulent taste of the Countess.

In 1877, suspected of spying, the Païva left France for its castle in Neudeck (Silesia), taking part of the furniture. After his death in 1884, the hotel remained closed for several years before being sold in 1893. It was converted into a restaurant and then the headquarters of the Travellers Club (since 1903) and was classified as a historical monument in 1980. Today, it retains much of its original decor, although the court has been replaced by shops.

The hotel is also famous for its anecdotes, such as the remark of Aurélien Scholl on the sidewalk laid in front of the construction site, or the description of the Goncourt brothers calling it the "Ass Louvre". His onyx staircase, his statues of Dante and Virgile by Barrias, and his ceiling painted by Baudry make it an exceptional testimony of art and the manners of the Second Empire.

Neudeck Castle, a Silesian replica of the Parisian hotel, was destroyed in 1945, but the Hotel de la Païva, despite the transformations, remains a symbol of architectural audacity and the fascist of the time. Its history reflects both the tremendous social ascent of its sponsor and the excesses of a changing aristocracy.

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