Hôtel du Petit Luxembourg

Petit Luxembourg
Courtyard and entrance from the street
Location within Paris
General information
Type	hôtel particulier
Location	Paris, France
Address	17–17 bis, rue de Vaugirard
Coordinates	48°50′56″N 2°20′08″E / 48.849°N 2.3356°E / 48.849; 2.3356Coordinates: 48°50′56″N 2°20′08″E / 48.849°N 2.3356°E / 48.849; 2.3356
Current tenants	President of the French Senate
Construction started	c. 1550
Renovated	1710–1713
Design and construction
Architect	1550: Unknown 1710: Germain Boffrand

The Petit Luxembourg ("Little Luxembourg") is a French hôtel particulier, currently the residence of the president of the French Senate. It is located at 17–17 bis, rue de Vaugirard, just west of the Senate's main building, the Palais du Luxembourg, in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Originally built around 1550 to the designs of an unknown architect, it is especially noted for the surviving Rococo interiors designed in 1710–1713 by the French architect Germain Boffrand. Further west, at 19 rue de Vaugirard, is the Musée du Luxembourg.

The original sixteenth-century building is of obscure origin, but became known as the Hôtel de Luxembourg after its acquisition in 1570 by François de Luxembourg, who in 1581 became Duc de Piney, Pair de France. Marie de Médicis purchased the hôtel in 1612 when she began acquiring property for the construction of the adjacent Luxembourg Palace. The old hôtel soon became known as the Petit Luxembourg to distinguish it from the larger building.

Perspective view

Floor plan with some later modifications made by Marie de Médicis

In 1627 Marie de Médicis gave the Petit Luxembourg to Cardinal de Richelieu, who occupied it while his own grand palace, the Palais-Cardinal, was constructed on the rue Saint-Honoré. Richelieu left the Petit Luxembourg to his niece, the Duchess of Aiguillon. It was inherited in turn by the Grand Condé, who left it to his son, Henri Jules de Bourbon-Condé. The latter's widow, Anne of Bavaria, Princess Palatine, engaged the architect Germain Boffrand to enlarge and redecorate it between 1710 and 1713.