Hôtel Baudard de Saint-James, 18th century private mansion at Place Vendôme, Paris

The Hôtel Baudard de Saint-James is a former hôtel particulier at no. 12, Place Vendôme, built in 1702 by architect Jacques Gabriel. Its pale stone facade has a ground floor of round-arched openings framed by rusticated stone, four upper storeys of rectangular windows with wrought-iron balconies, and a steep grey mansard roof with round dormer windows. The ground-floor arches carry the gold letters "CHANEL" and a dark sign reading "Hôtel Baudard de Saint-James".

Jacques V Gabriel built the hôtel in 1702 for Louis Dublineau, a Sorbonne doctor and prior of Longchamp. Claude Baudard de Saint-James, treasurer general of the Navy, bought it in 1777 and commissioned interior decorations from François-Joseph Bélanger and painter Jean-Jacques Lagrenée. In 1849 Frédéric Chopin rented an apartment there and died in it on 17 October. Since 1971 it has belonged to Crédit Foncier de France and now houses Chaumet's boutique and high-jewelry workshops.

The name is pronounced "Saint-James" as French [ʒam], not the English [dʒɛms]. In 1848 the building was rented to the Russian embassy for 45,000 francs a year, then let as flats; Chopin occupied one in 1849 and died there on 17 October. Since 2020 it has housed Chaumet's boutique, high-jewellery workshop and grand salons.

The mansion sits directly on Place Vendôme, where luxury shops and upscale restaurants are located, making it easy to explore the surroundings. The central location lets visitors observe the exterior and experience the historic square while moving through the busy area on foot.

The name is pronounced "Saint-James" as French [ʒam], not as the English [dʒeɪmz]. In 1849 Chopin rented a ground-floor and entresol apartment with a dining room, three bedrooms, kitchen, laundry, stables and carriage house for 3,500 francs a year, while the Russian embassy paid 45,000 francs for the whole hôtel.