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Origin and history

Lefebure de la Malmaison is a mansion built in the 17th century on Île Saint-Louis, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. Located at the 22nd wharf in Bethune, it was built around 1656 by the architect Louis Le Vau for François Le Febvre de la Malmaison, master of accounts. Its architecture, similar to that of the neighbouring hotel (n°20, built for his brother Antoine Le Febvre de La Barre), is distinguished by details such as the motifs of the wrought iron guard of the cochère door. Unlike its neighbour, this hotel has never been raised and has few original decorations, with the exception of its staircase.

Originally, the two hotels shared a common courtyard, now divided by a wall. The Lefebure de la Malmaison hotel was transferred to the family before being sold in 1714. Although not protected as a whole, some remarkable elements are classified or inscribed: the monumental door and its iron balcony (1926), the stairwell with its ramp and three bas-reliefs (1949), as well as painted interior decorations attributed to Mignard, Le Brun, Le Sueur and Berain (1959). These paintings, located in Mrs. Claire Lobrot's apartment, represent mythological scenes such as Apollo, Junon, or the Triumph of Galatée.

The hotel bears witness to the artistic patronage of the Parisian elites of the Grand Century. François Le Febvre de la Malmaison, then his son Antoine, and finally his granddaughter Catherine Charlotte (wife of Michel Chabenat de Bonneuil) were the successive owners. The building, though transformed, remains a rare example of a pair of twin private hotels designed simultaneously. His architect, Louis Le Vau, is also known for his work in Vaux-le-Vicomte and Versailles, illustrating the importance of this monument in French architectural history.

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