La Lanterne, Hunting lodge in Versailles, France

La Lanterne is a former hunting lodge in Versailles with a two-story U-shaped main building about 20 by 6 metres, flanked by lower wings around a gravel courtyard. Its stuccoed facade has seven bays, the central one topped by a pediment, and 36 windows light the interior. The four-hectare walled estate includes a swimming pool and tennis court.

Philippe Louis Marc Antoine de Noailles, prince de Poix and captain of the hunts, built the pavilion in 1787 on land bordering the royal menagerie; Louis XV had given the plot to his father, the comte de Noailles. The architect is unknown for lack of archives. Seized during the Revolution, it was bought back for the Crown by Louis XVIII in 1818, then housed the directors of the Ménagerie stud farm and later of the Agronomic Institute.

The name likely comes from the lantern that crowned the nearby royal menagerie pavilion. The revolutionary song "Ah ! ça ira" does not refer to La Lanterne or its 36 windows, but to the Paris lanterns where aristocrats were threatened to be hanged in 1789. The deer-headed herms of the entry grille were restored in 1942–1943.

The residence is located about 30 minutes from the Élysée Palace and is heavily guarded. A no-fly zone above the property adds an extra layer of security.

The name likely comes from the lantern that topped the pavilion of the nearby former royal menagerie, not from the building's 36 windows. The revolutionary song "Ah! ça ira" refers to Paris lanterns, not to La Lanterne.