Elysée House: FreeMeetings and Activities Featuring the Hidden Worlds of the Presidential Palace

In January 2026, the Elysée House, the museum-home located right across from the presidential palace, opens its doors to showcase the unique craftsmanship behind the iconic professions of the Élysée. Every Wednesday, these free, no-registration encounters provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at the palace.

Maison Élysée: the free Élysée museum/café, opposite the presidential palace in Paris
The Élysée Palace has finally opened the doors to its very own museum! Come and enjoy an exclusive presidential experience at the Maison de l'Élysée, located just opposite the palace. On the program? A free, royal immersion in the 600 m2 museum, café and boutique. [Read more]

Schedule of Sessions:

• Wednesday, January 14 - Artisans and Musicians: The Republican Guard in All Its Forms

• • 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM: The Hatmakers and Saddlers
    In the Guard’s workshops, saddle makers maintain leather tack and saddles, some dating back to World War I, using only the finest leather and techniques passed down through generations. Meanwhile, hatmakers precisely assemble 80 pieces of steel or brass to craft helmets adorned with natural black or red crests.

• • 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: String Quartet from the Republican Guard Orchestra
    Music takes center stage! Vibrant strings and lively exchanges fill the air as talented musicians trained at Paris and Lyon’s top conservatories perform. This chamber quartet, founded in 1848, accompanies official ceremonies, ministerial events, and charity concerts. An opportunity to listen to and observe a beautiful melody up close.

• Wednesday, January 21 - The Diplomatic Gift Manager
  From 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, explore the strategic role of the diplomatic gift manager, the person orchestrating the art of official presents: selecting, preserving, and distributing objects with precision and a deep sense of history.
• Wednesday, January 28 - The Gardeners: Virtuosos of Presidential Green Spaces
  From 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, meet the Élysée gardeners, who cultivate and maintain the presidential gardens with meticulous expertise, ensuring an extraordinary landscape heritage.

These Wednesday sessions offer a unique chance to discover the inner workings and craftsmanship behind the Élysée, open to all audiences.