Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel de Lassay is a Parisian mansion located on Rue de l'Université in the 7th arrondissement. Built between 1726 and 1730 for Léon de Madaillan de Lesparre, Marquis de Lassay, it was designed by architects Jean Aubert and Jacques V Gabriel, after the death of the first masterpieces, Giardini and Pierre Cailleteau. Its Italian style, with a floor topped by a flat roof, reflects the influence of the Regency. Upon the death of Lassay in 1750, the hotel passed to his heirs and was sold in 1768 to the prince of Condé, who carried out important work there.

Under the prince of Condé, the Lassay hotel becomes a place of luxury and refinement. The architect Le Carpentier modernises the decor, while artisans such as Claude Billard de Bélisard and Jean-François Leroy contribute. The circular living room, with its removable ceiling and retractable mirrors, as well as the gallery decorated with antique paintings and busts, make it an architectural gem. In 1792, the hotel was confiscated as a national property and housed the École Polytechnique from 1794 to 1804.

Returned to Condé's house in 1815, the hotel was finally sold to the state in 1843 by the Duke of Aumale. He then became the residence of the president of the Chamber of Deputies, after having been raised from one floor and connected to the Bourbon Palace. Since 1879, he has welcomed the presidents of the National Assembly, whose current holder, Yaël Braun-Pivet, has been in office since 2022. The presidential office houses a historic piece of furniture: the office on which Napoleon I signed his abdication in 1814.

The interior architecture of the Lassay hotel combines elegance and functionality. The showrooms are used for official receptions, while the president's office, called the "departure lounge", is the starting point for the parliamentary ceremonial. The dome of the circular salon, painted by Antoine Callet, represents the history of Venus, and the gallery exhibits works of art and ancient objects. The garden houses a trellising temple with a sculpture by Pigalle, originally intended for Madame de Pompadour.

Protected by heritage, the Hotel de Lassay embodies French political and architectural history. Its link with the Bourbon Palace, seat of the National Assembly, makes it a symbol of republican institutions. The archives of his transformations under the Second Empire, notably under the Duke of Morny, are preserved at the National Archives, testifying to his central role in parliamentary life since the 19th century.

Future

The Hotel de Lassay is the current residence of the President of the National Assembly, just adjoining the Bourbon Palace.

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