Carré de Baudouin

The Pavillon Carré de Baudouin stands as a rare surviving example of a Parisian country house from the eighteenth century, a time when the surrounding Belleville district was a collection of independent villages. Originally built as a leisure retreat for the financier Nicolas Carré de Baudouin, the structure was designed to mirror the elegance of Italian villas. The architect Pierre Louis Moreau-Desproux gave the building its distinctive neoclassical façade, featuring a grand peristyle of four Ionic columns that support a triangular pediment. This design launched a trend in Paris for what were known as temple-houses, providing a refined escape for the city elite looking for fresh air and expansive views.