Hôtel de Charost, British ambassador residence in 8th arrondissement, Paris, France
The Hôtel de Charost is a four-story mansion on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré featuring Empire-style furnishings and an English garden behind the building. The facade and interior rooms display the classical architecture characteristic of the early 18th century.
Architect Antoine Mazin built this mansion in 1722 for Armand de Bethune, the second Duke of Charost, under Louis XV's reign. The Duke of Wellington purchased it for the British government in 1814, establishing it as the first post-restoration British embassy residence in Paris.
The residence carries the name of an 18th century duke and reflects the refinement of French aristocratic life. Visitors can observe the elegant rooms that show how a wealthy family lived during that era.
The residence itself is not open to the public; the British Embassy occupies the neighbouring Hôtel Chevalier at 35–37 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The building stands a short walk from the Élysée Palace, so it can be seen from the street while passing along the Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Interior access depends on invitations issued by the embassy.
The sale of the house to the British in 1814 helped finance Napoleon's return from Elba: Pauline Borghese passed the payments on to her exiled brother, and the campaign that ended at Waterloo was partly funded this way. The Duke of Wellington, ambassador for only five months that year, bought new silver and Sèvres china for the house.
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