Why did Baroness Adèle de Rothschild demolish a perfectly good building? We are standing before the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild. This grand mansion, tucked away on Rue Berryer, has a tale to tell. The building you see now wasn’t the first to grace this spot. This land once belonged to the financier Nicolas Beaujon and his grand estate, the Folie Beaujon. After changing hands, part of the estate ended up with the writer Honoré de Balzac. Balzac poured his heart and soul into renovating his little corner of the former Folie Beaujon. He envisioned a haven for himself and his beloved, Countess Eveline Hanska. Sadly, he died there in 1850. Eveline, deep in debt, was forced to sell the property in 1882, and guess who her neighbor, Baroness Adèle de Rothschild, was? The Baroness, seeking to expand her property, purchased Balzac’s former home and promptly had it demolished. It seems she found it easier to make way for her vision than to preserve the legacy of a literary giant. Today, the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild stands as a testament to Adèle’s lavish tastes and her dedication to the arts. Yet, a whisper of Balzac’s presence lingers, a reminder of love, loss, and the relentless march of time in the heart of Paris.
Église Notre-Dame de l’Air
Beneath what appears to be a simple stone and wood structure lies a history interwoven with faith aviation and community.