L'Hôtel du marquis de Lagrange, 4 et 6 rue de Braque, Paris - photographs by Eugène Atget, 1901

 

Also known as the Hôtel Le Lièvre or - probably most correctly - the Hôtel Le Lièvre de La Grange, it is comprised of two symmetrical buildings at 4 and 6 rue de Braque in the Marais district of Paris. Built for Marie-Madeleine Le Lièvre, marquise de La Grange, by master mason Pierre Caqué to the plans of the architect Victor-Thierry Dailly, with sculpted decorations by Michel de Lissy and Jean Bourguignon, the twin buildings were begun in 1731 and completed in 1733 - or 1734, depending on the source - and were intended as rentals. The property had originally been sold to Thomas Le Lièvre, marquis de La Grange, grand-conseiller to Louis XIV in 1673 and was inherited by his grandchildren, number 4 to the abovementioned marquise, and number 6 to François-Joseph Le Lièvre, marquis de La Grange. It remained in the family until 1814.

The staircase and vestibule of number 4. (Four images.)

(I'm not completely certain that this image is actually one of Atget's photographs....)

Number 4 is the larger of the two, comprising six bays on the street façade, while number 6 has only four. The buildings are extended by two wings on either side of a large enclosed courtyard which was originally divided into two parts separated by a wall, with number 4, the larger, having a garden. Certain elements of the property are subject to their registration as historical monuments though, unfortunately, much had already been lost before that protection was put in place, including the staircase of number 6. 

Purchased by the City of Paris in 2001, the buildings have been cleaned, restored, and renovated and now house apartments and offices.

Vestibule and staircase of number 4.