aristocratic town houses, in Paris that still contains its original interior decoration. Executed in the lavish gilt-and-mirror style of Louis XIV, Charles Le Brun is said to have had a hand in its design before moving on to work at Versailles. This pretty building has had a colourful history. It was built originally  for

an inn-keeper’s son who had grown rich from arms dealing. Charles Gruyn des Bordes then fell foul of the king (he was closely implicated in the Fouquet affair) and was thrown into prison, where he died. His widow left the hotel to her son who then sold it to the Duc de Lauzun, who had also spent a decade in prison under Louis XIV’s disfavour only to secretly marry the Duchesse de Montpensier, also known as the Grande Mademoiselle, who was able to ransom him.

Despite the whole area falling out of favour with the aristocrats in the 18th century, one of them was still living here at the time of the Revolution, the Marquis de Pimôdan. After the Revolution, the house was divided into flats and became  home to a dazzling array of 19th-century  luminaries,  including

Hôtel de Lauzun

The Islands

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