The Notaries of France

The land in the middle of the 19th century

The history of the current building goes back to the middle of the 19th century, precisely by a decree dated July 15, 1858 which declared the public utility of the extension of avenue de La Tour Maubourg from the avenue de la Motte Piquet to Quai d 'Orsay, opposite Pont des Invalides. The land is part of a building which is located at rue de Grenelle Saint Germain, n° 129 and avenue de la Motte Piquet, n° 143, designated under the name of Buanderie des Invalides with a capacity of 3209 meters, acquired by Société Tétu, Brossonneau et Brunot, under the terms of an agreement with the city of Paris, dated December 9, 1861, which mentioned that "within the period of three years from the day on which the avenue would have opened between rue Saint Dominique Saint Germain and avenue de la Motte Piquet, Mr. Tétu, Brossonneau and Brunot will have their heirs erect houses for residential use on the land that would be left to them along the new avenue. The subdivision of this land will be communicated beforehand to the municipal administration, in order to be examined from the point of view to carry out the decree dated March 26, 1852. This agreement also detailed the construction specifications from an architectural point of view, but also mentioned that in the case of a non-construction within the time limit, "they will put the remaining land up for sale and impose the obligation to build within two years, on their purchasers ”. 

In accordance with the terms of this agreement, on August 12, 1867, Duke Paul de Noailles, living at 43 rue de l'Université, acquired a first piece of land with a capacity of 224 meters 47 centimeters "located in Paris, seventh district, boulevard de La Tour-Maubourg, at the corner of rue de Grenelle Saint-Germain” by deed which was passed before Maitre Persil. Following which, on February 4, 1868, he bought from the Count Bruce, a second plot of land with a capacity of 1283 meters 18 centimeters, located in Paris, rue de Grenelle Saint-Germain, dependent on the house or small hotel, bearing on this street the number 139. This land is contiguous to the land which is located at the corner of this street and Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, that was previously acquired. 

Born in Paris in 1802, Paul de Noailles, a politician, died there on May 29, 1885. He sat in the Chamber of Peers from 1827 and was to remain there throughout the July Monarchy. He was appointed member of the French Academy to replace Châteaubriand in 1849. In 1871, he was ambassador to Saint Petersburg. Patron of the arts, we mainly owe him two books: "Saint-Cyr, history of the Royal House of Saint Louis, established in Saint-Cyr" (1848) and "History of Madame de Maintenon and the main events of the reign of Louis XIV » (4 volumes 1848-1858). He is a Knight of the Golden Fleece. 

His son Jules, Charles, Victurnien de Noailles d'Ayen, born October 12, 1826, died in Paris in 1895 at 60, boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg is an economist, author of several books : « On Decentralization in England" (1864), "On the Representation of Minorities" (1870), "Income, Capital and Wages" (1872), "Research on the Estimation of National and Private Wealth in France and England" (1875), "Agriculture and industry before customs legislation" (1881), "One hundred years of republic in the United States" (1886-1891). He succeeded his father in 1885. 

The building under the Dukes of Noailles 

In 1869, the Duke Paul de Noailles acquired a hotel and built the latter "raised on cellars with a ground floor, 3 floors (566 meters) and vast outbuildings (312 meters)", following the indications which appeared on the mand registry of the city of Paris. On October 23, 1880, Duke Paul de Noailles then acquired "the major part of a large building which was located in Paris rue de Grenelle Saint Germain on which one can see the numbers 131, 133, 135 and 137... This building is erected on the courtyard of a ground floor distributed in shops and entrances with stairs, two square floors and a broken attic in various small apartments'. It is located between the street and the garden of Duc Paul de Noailles and includes several shops, that are rented with rooms

The construction of the hotel was entrusted to Hippolyte Alexandre Destailleur, born in 1822 and died in 1893. A renowned architect, we also owe him the construction and restoration of numerous castles and hotels: Château de Maintenon, Château de Noailles, Hôtel de Crillon, Hôtel de Lauzun, Hôtel de Biron.. 

Between 1889 and 1890, Jules de Noailles continued the construction work begun by his late father by expanding the hotel. When he passed away in 1895, the hotel was described as follows: "a large hotel, located in Paris, seventh district known as Palais Bourbon, boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, n° 58 bis and 60, forming the corner of rue de Grenelle on which the number 135 and part of number 137 are included, made up of: 

• A corner building on the street, raised on cellars with a ground floor of two square floors and a third floor with broken walls and a skylight
• An annex building raised on cellars with a ground floor of two square floors and a third floor with broken walls and a skylight
• A large building overlooking the courtyard on the right, raised on cellars with a ground floor and three square floors
• A large building at the back with a wing on each side overlooking the courtyard, raised on the ground and a broken first floor form
• A building on the courtyard on the left, raised on a level ground with a ground floor and a broken floor
• A building on rue de Grenelle raised on cellars with a ground floor of two square floors and a third attic floor
• Large entrance courtyard, small courtyard and three courtyards
• The whole of a superficial capacity of one thousand seven hundred meters and one hundredth   

After 1895

On June 24, 1895, the hotel was acquired amicably by Mrs. Elisabeth Adèle Alix de Talhouët Roy, Marquise de Juigné, widow of Mr. Henry Christian Anatole Leclerc, Marquis de Juigné, who lives there. Today it is equipped with a business center for notaries and their clients, offices for its representatives and employees, reception rooms, but also an amphitheater with nearly 200 seats, built in the 1930s and whose recent renovation in 2020 offers state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. Maison des Notaires de France is a reflection of the notarial profession, which has combined tradition and modernity, for centuries.  

To find out more: consult the history of the building.