Place Vendôme, Paris

About the Place Vendôme

The Place Vendôme is a grand square in the 1st arrondissement, north of the Tuileries Garden and east of the Madeleine. Rue de la Paix runs from it to the Palais Garnier. It was laid out in 1698 as a monument to the glory of Louis XIV and named Place Louis-le-Grand; the name Vendôme comes from the mansion of the Duke of Vendôme, a son of Henry IV, that once stood here.

The façades were designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, chief architect of Versailles. Every house is identical, with arcaded ground floors, Corinthian pilasters and tall roofs, and the corners are cut off so the rectangle reads as an octagon. It is one of the finest examples of French classicism and the most unified ensemble in Paris.

What to see on the square

• The Vendôme Column — a bronze spiral of reliefs and a statue of Napoleon.
• Mansart's façades — identical houses all around.
• Jewellers' windows — boutiques of the world's most famous houses.
• The Ritz — a legendary 19th-century hotel.
• The Ministry of Justice — in its mansion since the 18th century.
• Rue de la Paix — luxury shops all the way to the Opéra.

The column at the centre

At the centre rises the Vendôme Column, built in 1806–1810 on Napoleon's orders and modelled on Trajan's Column in Rome. A spiral of 425 bronze plates with reliefs winds around its shaft, and on top stands a statue of Napoleon as a Roman emperor.

The column has had an eventful life: the statue on top was replaced more than once, and the column itself was once taken down and rebuilt. Before it, an equestrian statue of Louis XIV stood here, among the first large equestrian statues cast in a single piece. Today the column is the square's landmark, especially beautiful when lit at night.

Jewellers and fashion

Since the late 19th century the Place Vendôme has been the world capital of haute joaillerie. Almost every famous jewellery and watch house has a boutique here, and their windows of diamonds, pearls and rare watches turn any stroll into an exhibition.

The square has fashion ties too: many couturiers had their salons here, and the shirtmaker Charvet has traded at number 28 since 1877. Neighbouring Rue de la Paix and Rue Saint-Honoré continue the line of luxury shops.

The Ritz and famous residents

On the west side stands the Ritz, opened in the late 19th century by the Swiss hotelier César Ritz. It's one of the most famous hotels in the world: writers, actors and designers lived here for years, and Ernest Hemingway made its bar famous.

Financiers, courtiers and scientists lived in the square's mansions over the centuries; the physician Franz Mesmer, of 'animal magnetism' fame, lived at number 16. Since 1718 the French Ministry of Justice has occupied numbers 11–13, which Parisians simply call the Chancellerie. Its façade keeps a standard metre, a marble length measure from the Revolution.

The Place Vendôme in film and culture

The square has starred in books and films. The 1998 film Place Vendôme starred Catherine Deneuve, and in the series Lupin a famous black pearl is stolen here. 1920s novelists described it, and the Modern Jazz Quartet named an album after it.

For photographers and architecture lovers, its façades have barely changed in three centuries: looking at it, it's easy to picture the Paris of Louis XIV.

Tips for your visit

The Place Vendôme lies handily between the Tuileries and the Palais Garnier, so cross it on the way; it takes 20–30 minutes. From here it's an easy walk to the Palais-Royal, the Madeleine and the department stores on Boulevard Haussmann.

To soak up the Ritz atmosphere, drop into one of its bars or for afternoon tea: it's expensive and needs smart dress, so book ahead.

At Christmas the square and its windows are decorated especially lavishly, so come in the evening in December.

Places in Paris: compare and choose

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How to do it right

• Free to visit.
• Windows around the edge.
• Lit up at night.
• The Opéra is close.

Questions