Élysée Palace, Presidential palace in the 8th arrondissement, Paris, France
Élysée Palace comprises 365 rooms spread across three levels, with the main structure linked by two side wings overlooking carefully tended gardens. The compound stretches between Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Avenue Gabriel across an expansive plot.
Built in 1722 as a private residence for the Count d'Évreux, the building changed hands several times. Since 1873 it has served as the permanent seat for French presidents.
The residence takes its name from the Elysian Fields of Greek mythology, which once inspired the site. Today its rooms serve as the stage for state visits and official ceremonies conducted according to strict protocol.
Access for visitors occurs only through guided tours that require advance booking and take place on select days. Security checks demand valid identification and surrender of personal belongings.
The Salon d'Argent, decorated under Caroline Murat, saw three events: Napoleon signed his abdication there on 22 June 1815, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte staged his coup d'état there in 1851, and President Félix Faure died in the palace in 1899. The Hameau de Chantilly cottages that Bathilde d'Orléans built in the garden later housed a gambling house.
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