Maison de Maurice Ravel, Historic house in Ciboure, France

The Maison de Maurice Ravel is a residential building in Ciboure featuring a rectangular facade topped with a curved gable and a round decorative window. Inside, the third floor retains its original paneled living room and alcove overlooking the quay below.

Esteban d'Etcheto, a Ciboure merchant and shipowner, built this tall house around 1630, modelling it on the houses he had seen in Amsterdam. Cardinal Mazarin stayed here from 8 May to 15 June 1660, during the negotiations for the marriage of Louis XIV to the Spanish Infanta, celebrated on 9 June 1660 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The house was listed as a monument historique in 1993.

The house is known as Maison Estebania, after its builder Esteban d'Etcheto, and also as Maison Mazarin. Since 1993 it has housed Ciboure's tourist office and the Académie internationale de musique Ravel, which holds its classes in the building where the composer was born on 7 March 1875.

The building sits on the quay, making it easy to locate while walking through town near the waterfront. Access may be limited, so checking with local information services beforehand helps plan your visit.

The composer's mother deliberately chose to return to her native town for the birth, rather than remaining where the family was living at that time. This personal decision gave the house its significance as the birthplace of a musician who became known across the world.