As you move from room to room, the “Confident” connected headset transports you back to a world of voices and ambient noises. The furniture and objects on display, which are either original or date from the same period, mostly come from the stores of other large and small public buildings. Thanks to the extremely detailed inventories made at the end of the 18th century and the memoirs of craftsmen, the décor has been faithfully restored – but with up to 18 layers of paint in some places, it was no easy task! Hidden behind the stainless-steel walls of a kitchen, the Cabinet doré was among the surprises awaiting restorers. One the hôtel’s most exceptional rooms, it now basks in its former glory, with two fireplaces, a crimson damask décor, and two exceptional pieces of furniture by Jean-Henri Riesener – a mechanical table, known as the Table des muses, and a cylinder desk. The Cabinet des glaces is also a feast for the eyes: painted with naked women, it reveals the licentious tastes of one of the intendants. The prudish wife of his successor had their bodies veiled and painted with the faces of chubby little cherubs!
From the fall, the tour will include the exhibition galleries of the Al Thani Collection, which contains works of art dating from antiquity to the present day. Several eateries are accessible from the Cour d’honneur, including the Lapérouse café, overlooking the square, and the restaurant with its menu concocted by the chef Jean-François Piège. A perfect way to end a visit to this luxuriously furnished mansion.
