Like many of Paris's places of power, the Ministry of Justice is open to the public during the Journées du Patrimoine, on Saturday September 20 and Sunday September 21, 2025. Head for Place Vendôme to discover the workplace of the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals. TheHôtel de Bourvallais (which houses the Ministry) is almost invisible to tourists: it has to be said that the main focus is on the Colonne Vendôme and theHôtel du Ritz.
Yet it's here that the chancellors and later the gardes des Sceaux have lived and worked for the past 250 years. The building is full of secrets. Hardened eyes will find the symbols of justice hidden everywhere. There are six of them: the scales, echoing the weighing of deeds; the sword, the weapon of decision; the shield, the passive weapon of strength and victory; the scepter, an extension of the arm, a sign of power and authority; the hand, the instrument of mastery; and the serpent, symbolizing prudence.
Here, you can step back in time through the various salons of the private mansion and into the Royal Library, the office of the Keeper of the Seals and Minister of Justice! Another magnificent decorative element is a Gobelins tapestry after Raphael, adorning the main staircase.
Every year, on the occasion of the European Heritage Days, the major cultural event of the autumn, the Hôtel de Bourvallais, headquarters of the Ministry of Justice for over 300 years, opens its doors to the public. Listed as a historical monument, the building boasts a rich heritage of furnishings. For the 42nd edition of the event, a tour of the Hôtel de Bourvallais will take visitors through the ceremonial rooms and offices on the first floor, as well as the garden. Throughout the weekend, visitors will be able to meet antique restorers, who will be on hand in the library on the first floor, close to the antique collection.
Upstairs, in the Galerie Peyronnet, an exhibition entitled"Bureau de ministre, un exercice de style", designed by the Archives, Documentation and Heritage Department of the Ministry of Justice. A central feature of the ministerial building, the office of the Minister of Justice is its most prestigious location. The exhibition examines the way in which it contributes to the function and its representation; it looks back at the office's itinerancy within the Hôtel, and at the history of its furnishings as a witness to the changing tastes of successive ministers. A selection of press agency photographs places visitors in the context of the various decades from the early 20th century to the present day. The tour includes a reconstruction of the office of Robert Badinter, Minister between June 1981 and February 1986, who will enter the Pantheon on October 9, 2025. It closes with the minister's former office during the Second Empire and Third Republic, restored in 2024.
In order to raise awareness of the variety of professions and the different facets of the practice of law and justice, professionals will also be present in the Cour d'Honneur on both days, to discuss their professions and career paths, and the training required to enter them.
Visits will be unaccompanied, with support materials and Ministry of Justice staff on hand to provide information on each floor.
Last admission at 5:15 pm.
Dates and Opening Time
From September 20, 2025 to September 21, 2025
Location
Ministry of Justice - Hôtel de Bourvallais
13 Place Vendôme
75001 Paris 1
Access
Metro line 8, 12 or 14 "Madeleine" station
Prices
Free
Official website
journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr
