Gazing at this building. Imagine the echoes of political debates and the scent of freshly printed manifestos. This is Dix Solférino. It stands as a testament to France’s vibrant political history. Once the headquarters of the French Socialist Party, its walls have witnessed decades of triumphs and defeats.
Dix Solférino is located on Rue de Solférino. This elegant artery in Paris’s 7th arrondissement connects Boulevard Saint-Germain to the Seine. The street itself is named after the Battle of Solferino. This was a victory for Napoleon III in Lombardy against Austrian troops. It came at a high cost of 40,000 victims.
But the story of Number 10 Rue de Solférino is particularly rich. Before housing the Socialist Party, the building had a diverse and turbulent past. In 1934, the General Federation of Civil Servants of the CGT acquired the property.
During the Second World War, the building fell into darker hands. In 1940, the Vichy regime dissolved the trade unions. They also confiscated their assets. The building became the headquarters of the Ministry of Information. This ministry was in charge of the regime’s propaganda. Philippe Henriot, Minister of Information, was assassinated here in 1944 by a member of the Resistance.
In August 1944, during the Parisian insurrection, Resistance fighters reclaimed the building. They fought fiercely against remaining militia forces. From 1944 to 1978, Dix Solférino returned to its trade union identity. It housed the civil service trade union movement.
In 1981, the Socialist Party purchased 10 Rue de Solférino. Gradually, “Rue de Solférino” became synonymous with the party itself. The address became a shorthand for the political group in news articles and discussions. Here, they celebrated victories and mourned defeats.
More recently, Dix Solférino has undergone a significant transformation. It has been renovated. Jean-Paul Viguier & Associés led the project. The aim was to restore the building’s splendor. It is an 18th-century hôtel particulier. The renovation focused on modernizing the space for contemporary office use.
The building has been recognized for its sustainability. Dix Solférino received BREEAM Excellent and HQE Excellent certifications. In the spring of 2022, Interparfums established its headquarters here.
Dix Solférino stands as a symbol of Parisian history. It is a place where political passions, wartime resistance, and modern innovation converge. It is a reminder that even buildings can have stories to tell.