Private mansion

Falling in love with a city mansion
Is your dream to live the château life, but in a city centre ? Then perhaps a city mansion could be perfect for you…

A former private mansion with 8 bedrooms in central Paris. Another in Marseille with a 1,200-hectare estate… “A large, opulent city residence occupied entirely by members of the same family”, as the dictionary definition of a Hôtel particulier will tell you. This type of exceptional property is characterised primarily by its large floor area. In the main building, you can look forward to strolling around two or three floors and many large rooms. Some also have a large courtyard and garden, while others open onto the street through an imposing carriage entrance.

A city centre château
The French term hôtel particulier makes the distinction between large buildings occupied by private individuals (particuliers), and those we normally think of as hotels. Formerly home to high-profile owners, aristocrats, public figures and senior members of the church, their rooms may include galleries, ballrooms and generous reception rooms. Like the country mansion, palace or manor house, the city mansion is an overt demonstration of wealth. It is in essence a small château in the heart of the city.
Ancient and modern
The large amount of space available makes these homes extremely adaptable in terms of layout. So a dressing room could become an office, a large living room could incorporate an open-plan kitchen and the attic could become a home cinema. Equally, the high ceilings could provide the opportunity to install extensive glazing, the basement could become swimming pool, and if the budget allows, the staircase could be complemented by a lift to serve all the upper floors. Any (or almost any) flight of fancy is a possibility!