Hôtel Tubeuf

The Hôtel Tubeuf is a private mansion in the 2nd arrondissement featuring brick-and-stone architecture arranged around a central residential block. The building occupies the space between an entrance courtyard and a garden at 8 Rue des Petits Champs, displaying the classic proportions and design of 17th-century Parisian noble residences.

The mansion was built in 1635 by architect Jean Thiriot for Charles Duret de Chevry and changed hands several times in its early decades. Cardinal Mazarin acquired it in 1649, transforming it into a center for his personal collections and intellectual pursuits.

The building houses departments of the French National Library dedicated to prints, photographs, maps, and plans. These spaces serve as working areas where visitors can see how institutions preserve and organize national documents.

The mansion opens to public visits primarily during Heritage Days, while certain sections operate as part of the National Library complex. Check ahead to learn which areas are accessible on regular days, as many spaces serve research functions and may have restricted access.

The Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed within this mansion in 1803, marking the sale of vast French territories in North America to the United States. This diplomatic agreement reshaped the continent's political boundaries in ways few could have predicted.