Hôtel Le Brun, Private mansion in 5th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Hôtel Le Brun is a private mansion at 47 rue du Cardinal-Lemoine, built of light beige ashlar blocks in five vertical sections under a slate mansard roof with three dormer windows. A central triangular pediment carved with a coat of arms sits above the entrance, a glazed door with a fanlight, and a black wrought-iron gate with scrollwork stands before it. The garden pediment holds a medallion of the painter Charles Le Brun presented to Minerva between allegories of Painting and Sculpture; the courtyard pediment shows two unicorns framing Charles II Le Brun's arms.
Charles Le Brun bought the land in 1651, outside the Philippe Auguste wall near the Porte Saint-Victor. After his death in 1690 and his widow's in 1699, their nephew Charles II Le Brun inherited it and had the mansion built by the then-unknown architect Germain Boffrand, with plans drawn by master mason Nicolas Saint-Denis in 1700 and 1701. Tenants included Antoine Watteau in 1718–19 and Edme Jeaurat in 1720–26; Charles II died there in 1727.
The name honors the Le Brun family who commissioned it, with their coat of arms displayed prominently on the building. The carved decorations celebrate painting and sculpture, reflecting how much weight society placed on artistic pursuits during that era.
The mansion sits on Rue du Cardinal-Lemoine and now operates as a venue called 'Grand Hotel des Reves' hosting immersive theater experiences for families. Since it functions as an active performance space, visitors should check in advance to understand how the building is accessed and what activities may be happening during their visit.
The courtyard pediment, carved by Anselm Flamen, shows two unicorns framing Charles II Le Brun's coat of arms; the garden pediment holds a medallion of the painter Charles Le Brun presented to Minerva between allegories of Painting and Sculpture. The wrought-iron stair rail is by Cafin.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,896 contributors worldwide.