When Louis XV commissionedarchitect Ange-Jacques Gabriel in 1758 to design the facades of the future Place Louis-XV - now Place de la Concorde - he envisaged a symmetrical ensemble, one of whose facades would become that of the Crillon. Behind these stones designed by Gabriel,architect Louis-François Trouard took charge of the main buildings in 1775, built for the Duc d'Aumont around an inner courtyard and stables. A few years later, François-Félix de Berton des Balbes, Comte de Crillon, acquired the property, giving his name to the building.
Confiscated during the Revolution, transformed into national property and then returned to its owners, the building became theHôtel des Voyageurs in 1909, after renovation by Walter-André Destailleur, and was subsequently renamed Hôtel de Crillon. After four years of ambitious renovation, theluxury hotel reopened in 2017 under the management of the Rosewood group, with 78 rooms and 46 suites, and was awarded the Palace label in 2018.
Classified as a historical monument, it remains a living witness to theurban, political, artistic and diplomatichistory of Paris.
The origins of the Crillon lie in a royal project. Following the construction of the Place, the French government commissioned Ange-Jacques Gabriel to build the facades, but left the plots to private owners. One of the lots was entrusted to thearchitect Trouard, who built a private mansion in 1775, complete with salons, boudoir, balconies and perspectives, while the Duc d'Aumont was responsible for furnishing and decorating. Among the artists involved was Pierre-Adrien Pâris, who designed the first-floor salons, elements of which still survive today.
Legend has it that Marie-Antoinette came here for piano lessons, in one of the salons now named 'Marie-Antoinette'. During the French Revolution, the building was seized and became national property, before being put to various public uses. In 1788 it was sold to the Crillons, and the heirs kept the building until the early 20ᵉ century.
At the turn of the 20ᵉ century, in 1906, the Crillon estate was sold to the Société du Louvre, which expanded it by acquiring adjoining buildings on rue Boissy-d'Anglas. Walter-André Destailleur orchestrated a complete renovation over two years, incorporating two adjacent buildings to increase capacity. The new palace opened on March 11, 1909, with grand salons(Salons Marie-Antoinette, Salon des Aigles, Salon des Batailles), noble woodwork, silk curtains, marble and a luxurious ambience.
The Crillon quickly became a sought-after address. In 1919, it welcomed members of the American delegation to the Paris Peace Conference, notably for diplomatic meetings. The founding pact of the League of Nations was signed in its salons.
During the Second World War, the Crillon was requisitioned by German forces. In June 1940, General von Studnitz took over the premises, summoning the Prefect of Police to impose order in the capital. In September, the Feldgendarmerie moved into the hotel, and during the Liberation of Paris, a column collapsed on a car after German soldiers fired on French tanks, damaging part of the façade.
Quickly rebuilt, the building regained its splendor, but over the decades continued to be restored in small steps to meet the demands of modern luxury.
In 2013, the hotel closes for the most ambitious transformation in its history. Over 3,500 pieces of furniture, artworks and objects were auctioned off, including the César bar, sculpted by César in 1982. Architect Richard Martinet oversees the structural work, Amman-based decorator Aline Asmar coordinates the interiors with designers Chahan Minassian, Cyril Vergniol and Tristan Auer, while Karl Lagerfeld designs the Grands Appartements, exceptional Signature suites.
On July 5, 2017, the Crillon reopened its doors in a modernized version, now housing 78 rooms, 46 suites (including the Marie-Antoinette Suite and the Bernstein Suite), three restaurants (L'Écrin, the Brasserie d'Aumont, the Jardin d'Hiver, which opens onto the inner courtyard), the Les Ambassadeurs bar, the Cave Privée, as well as a basement spa with pool, hammam and treatment rooms. And in September 2018, the Crillon receives the Palace distinction.
The neoclassical façade remains faithful to Gabriel's design on the Place de la Concorde, which has been listed and protected since 1896. The hotel is listed as a Monument Historique for its salons, roofs and facades. Inside, the renovation combines contemporary sobriety with homage to the XVIIIᵉ, with marble floors, restored woodwork, herringbone parquet flooring and refined fabrics.
The Marie-Antoinette suite revisits the codes of the 18ᵉ century in pearl gray and powder pink, with sculpted furniture, mirrors and delicate fabrics, while the Bernstein suite, located on the sixth floor, extends to a 238 m² panoramic terrace overlooking the Place de la Concorde.
Famous guests include Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, the Beatles, Madonna and Elizabeth Taylor. Ernest Hemingway mentions the Crillon in The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926, when his character writes in the lobby while waiting for his beloved.
At the crossroads of the Champs-Élysées, the Concorde, the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré and the Tuileries Gardens, the Hôtel de Crillon embodies a model palace where every stone and every object recounts a fragment of the capital's past.
The 2025 Christmas log from the Hôtel de Crillon by Matthieu Carlin: a palace you can eat!
At the Hôtel de Crillon on Place de la Concorde, Matthieu Carlin unveils a sculptural and gourmet Yule log for Christmas 2025, created in collaboration with Christofle. Inspired by the facade of the palace, this limited edition promises to light up your festive tables. [Read more]
Nonos, Paul Pairet's restaurant-grill at the Hôtel de Crillon
Chef Paul Pairet has completely redesigned the former Brasserie d'Aumont in the Hôtel de Crillon, and now unveils Nonos, a restaurant-grill, and Comestibles, a grocery counter. The verdict is in: a real treat. [Read more]
Matthieu Carlin's sublime Tea Time at the Hôtel de Crillon
How about a divine Tea Time at the Hôtel de Crillon? Created jointly by Executive Chef Boris Campanella and Pastry Chef Matthieu Carlin, this magical and delicious afternoon tea can be enjoyed in the palace's Jardin d'Hiver from Friday to Sunday. [Read more]
Location
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel
10 Place de la Concorde
75008 Paris 8
Official website
www.rosewoodhotels.com
