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Origin and history

The Hotel de Montmor, also known as Hotel de Montholon, is a private hotel built around 1630 in Paris, at 79 rue du Temple, in the 3rd arrondissement. Commanded by Jean Habert de Montmor, treasurer of the Épargne, he replaced four houses acquired in 1623 and demolished for its construction. This building, inscribed as historical monuments in 1925, illustrates 17th century civil architecture with remarkable decorative elements such as a mascaron and a meridian.

In the 17th century, the hotel became a high intellectual place under the impulse of Henri Louis Habert de Montmort, son of the sponsor. He welcomed Abbé Pierre Gassendi and organized weekly meetings of scholars such as Roberval, Guy Patin and Christian Huyghens. These exchanges, known as the Montmorian Academy, prefigure the creation of the Academy of Sciences in 1666. Molière even read his piece Tartuffe in 1664, after its prohibition by the king.

In the 18th century, the hotel changed owners: acquired in 1751 by Laurent Charron, it was redesigned between 1752 and 1754 for his family. His widow, Catherine-Marguerite de Mortier, and his son-in-law François de Montholon resided there until 1790. The building preserves traces of that time, like a cartridge representing Madame Charron. In the 19th century, it houses industrial activities (bougies, jewellery) before being restored in 1999.

The hotel's architecture combines elegance and symbolism. The courtyard façade features a curved window topped by a triangular pediment decorated with an allegory of Truth and an owl, symbol of Minerva. The courtyard includes an original meridian marking only the hours around noon, designed by astronomer Jean-Paul Grandjean de Fouchy. An open passage in 1840 replaces the old vestibule, giving access to a reduced garden with subsequent constructions.

Ranked for its facades and its honorary staircase at the wrought iron ramp, the hotel testifies to the social and scientific developments of Paris. Its history combines architectural heritage, social life and intellectual heritage, from the 17th century salons to its industrial uses, before its contemporary preservation.

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