Hôtel Cail, Private mansion in 8th arrondissement of Paris, France
Hôtel Cail is a stone mansion at 56 Boulevard Malesherbes, built in 1865 by architect Albert Labouret for industrialist Jean-François Cail. Its rusticated ground floor, balustraded balconies and slate mansard roof with dormers face the street; a sign reads "Soutien aux Chrétiens d'Orient". Since 1926 it has housed the town hall of the 8th arrondissement.
Built in 1865 for industrialist Jean-François Cail, the mansion represents an era of economic prosperity and industrial achievement. The City of Paris purchased the building and converted it to the town hall of the 8th arrondissement in 1926.
The sculpted decoration is by Pierre-Édouard Charrier, who also worked on the Palais du Louvre. On the first floor, facing the start of the grand staircase, two medallions depict Mercury and Ceres, recalling the industry, agriculture and trade behind Cail's fortune. Ceiling paintings are mainly by Pierre-Victor Galland. The former grand salon now serves as the wedding room.
The building now serves as a municipal administration center with courtrooms and various administrative offices open during standard working hours. Visitors should be aware that access may be limited due to its active use as a functioning government facility.
The 1926-1928 wing along rue de Lisbonne, designed by Jacques Hermant, is a pastiche of the 1865 mansion; its first floor held a tribunal d'instance with a courtroom and a salle des pas perdus. The main building's protected elements include the courtyard fountain, the covered ground-floor passage and the forged-iron stair railing.
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