“Did you know this mansion was once home to the King’s chief huntsman?” I ask. Before you stands the Hôtel d’Ecquevilly a true Parisian gem. This isn’t just any building. It’s a piece of history breathing life into the Marais district.
Built in 1636 this private mansion witnessed centuries of change. Initially a home for the wealthy it later became the property of the Marquis of Ecquevilly in 1733. He was the “Captain General of the Hunts” a powerful figure responsible for the King’s hunting expeditions. That’s why the Hôtel d’Ecquevilly is also known as the Hôtel du Grand Veneur the Hotel of the Grand Huntsman. Can you picture the bustling preparation for royal hunts emanating from these very walls? The excitement of hounds and riders the anticipation of the chase?
Its history extends far beyond the Marquis. The Hôtel d’Ecquevilly has changed hands many times. Claude de Guénégaud a wealthy treasurer expanded the garden to the eastern side of the property. Later Louis Boucherat the Chancellor of France embellished it further. His daughter even leased a portion of the building. In 1734 Vincent Hennequin Marquis of Ecquevilly commissioned renovations marking his ownership with a cartouche above the entrance. This cartouche proudly displays the new name and date of transformation.
The French Revolution saw the Hôtel d’Ecquevilly confiscated. It was subsequently acquired by a rich industrialist. After his death it became a Franciscan convent. Then in the 20th century it served as a warehouse for a retail company. Finally in 2014 the gallery owner Emmanuel Perrotin established himself in the Hôtel d’Ecquevilly.
Notice the impressive bas-reliefs inspired by hunting scenes on the building’s facade. They’re a visible reminder of its past. Though much of its garden is now a public park the Hôtel d’Ecquevilly continues to stand. It represents centuries of Parisian history elegance and power. It continues to breathe the rich history of the Marais district.