# Place Vendôme, Paris > The Place Vendôme is the most elegant and expensive square in Paris, between the Palais Garnier and the Tuileries Garden. It was begun in 1698 under Louis XIV to designs by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, architect of Versailles, with identical classical façades on every side. A tall bronze column topped by a statue of Napoleon rises at the centre, and the mansions around hold the windows of the world's finest jewellers, the legendary Ritz hotel and the Ministry of Justice. The square is always open and free. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-vendome - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 54/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 25 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Hours: Open 24 hours - Shops: Jewellery boutiques, usually Mon–Sat by day - Duration: ≈ 20–30 minutes - Nearby: Palais Garnier, Tuileries, the Madeleine - Location: 1st arrondissement, metro Tuileries or Opéra - Coordinates: 48.86750, 2.32944 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1698** — work on the square began (source: English Wikipedia) - **1810** — the central column completed (source: English Wikipedia) - **1718** — the Ministry of Justice moved in (source: English Wikipedia) - **Mansart** — architect of the façades (source: English Wikipedia) ## 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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/opera-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. > **How to see the square** Walk the perimeter under the arcades, browsing the windows. You can step into the jewellery boutiques just to look, though security greets you at the door and some houses admit visitors by bell. The best times for photos are a weekend morning, with less traffic, and the evening, when the column and windows light up. ## 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. ## How to get there 1. Metro line 1 to **Tuileries**, a 5-minute walk up Rue de Castiglione. 2. Metro lines 3, 7 and 8 to **Opéra**, 5 minutes down Rue de la Paix. 3. Metro lines 7 and 14 to **Pyramides**, a 5-minute walk. 4. From the Tuileries, straight north across Rue de Rivoli. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/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. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Study the column's reliefs - [ ] Walk the arcades around the square - [ ] Find the standard metre - [ ] Look at the Ritz - [ ] Walk Rue de la Paix to the Opéra ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Champs-Élysées](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Place de la Concorde](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-de-la-concorde) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Montmartre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/montmartre) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free - [Place Vendôme](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-vendome) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Palais-Royal](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/palais-royal) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Garden and courtyard free - [Luxembourg Gardens](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/jardin-du-luxembourg) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Pont Neuf](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-neuf) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Tuileries Garden](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/tuileries-garden) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Shakespeare and Company](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/shakespeare-and-company) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Île de la Cité](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/ile-de-la-cite) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city island - [Saint-Germain-des-Prés](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/saint-germain-des-pres) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Quarter and church free - [Place des Vosges](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-des-vosges) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free - [La Défense](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/la-defense) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 40 min · Esplanade free, arch rooftop ticketed - [Le Marais](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/le-marais) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free, it's a city district - [Latin Quarter](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/latin-quarter) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city district - [Canal Saint-Martin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/canal-saint-martin) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Parc Monceau](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/parc-monceau) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 50 min · Free ## Don't mix it up The Place Vendôme is Mansart's formal square with a column near the Opéra; the Place des Vosges is the oldest square in Paris, with a garden, in the Marais. ## Tips - Free to visit. - Windows around the edge. - Lit up at night. - The Opéra is close. ## Questions ### What is the Place Vendôme famous for? Mansart's ensemble, the central column, the jewellery houses and the Ritz. ### Is there an entry fee? No, the square is open 24 hours and free. ### Can I go into the jewellery boutiques? Yes, though there's security at the door and some admit visitors by bell. ### How long should I spend there? About 20–30 minutes. ### How do I get to the Place Vendôme? By metro to Tuileries or Opéra. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. The square is open public space. Boutique opening hours weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Place Vendôme - City of Paris website, paris.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.