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Origin and history

The hotel of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, located 37 quai d'Orsay in Paris 7th, was built between 1844 and 1856 under the impulse of François Guizot, then minister. The project, initiated in 1844 with the laying of the first stone in 1845, was interrupted by the revolution of 1848 before being relaunched by Napoleon III. The works, led by architect Jacques Lacornée, were completed in 1856, using cliquart extracted from Fleury's quarries in Clamart. The building, designed to impress foreign diplomats, combines ancient, Renaissance and classical influences, with interior decoration entrusted to renowned artists such as Séchan, Nolau, or the Huber brothers.

The exterior decoration was made by experienced sculptors, while the interior mixes Napoleon III style with Art Deco elements, especially in the royal bathrooms created in 1938 for King George VI. These spaces, designed by Auguste Labouret and Jacques Adnet, reflect the influence of transatlantic luxury. The hotel is famous for hosting historic negotiations, such as the Treaty of Paris (1856) ending the Crimean War, or the Treaty of Versailles (1919). It was also there that Robert Schuman made his founding declaration of European unity in 1950.

The hotel, adjoining the Bourbon Palace (National Assembly) and the Lassay Hotel, does not communicate with these buildings. In 1944, soldiers died for his release, commemorated by a plaque at 1 Robert-Esnault-Pelterie Street. Since 2018, a modernisation project led by architects Jean-Marc Ibos and Myrto Vitart has provided for an expansion with a glass roof, modular spaces, and an improvement in reception. The site, classified as a Historical Monument in 1979, remains a symbol of French diplomacy, often referred to as the "Quai d'Orsay".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs used to occupy the Galliffet hotel (1795-1820), then the Wagram hotel (Capuchine bullock) before settling permanently docked Orsay. The building, served by the National Assembly, Concorde and Invalides metro stations, is also known for having served as a decor for Bertrand Tavernier's film Quai d'Orsay (2013). Its architecture and history make it an emblematic place, both administrative headquarters and the setting of major diplomatic events.

Future

Since the mid-19th century, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has occupied these premises, and it is to this stability that the term "Quai d'Orsay" is used to refer to this ministry.

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