Panelling from l'Hotel de Breteuil, Musee Carnavalet

This panelling was taken from a house, the Hotel de Breteuil, built at the end of the 18th century on a new street, rue Millet, which not long after was renamed rue Matignon. The panelling was removed in 1923 and subsequently installed at the Musee Carnavalet.

The smallest room from the Hotel de Breteuil to have beeen saved was a circular room from the ground floor, although the lantern was not reconstructed.  The original colour scheme of the panelling, painted in delicate shades of grey with white highlights, mixed with forget-me-not blue has been authentically restored.

The Grand Salon was the most important room in the house. The colour scheme for this this room was not conserved, so the decor was chosen by the Musee Carnavalet to create a background in the style of the 18th century to highlight  the quality of the carving.

The Oval Boudoir was on the ground floor of the house.

The press in 1923 covered the removal of the panelling and spread the story that the house had been the home of Count Axel de Fersen when he returned to France to make a final attempt to spirit the royal family, and his lover, Marie Antoinette away to safety, in a flight that ended in ignominy at Varennes. A romantic story, perhaps it's true.