Hôtel de Castries

The Hotel de Castries stands on the Rue de Varenne as a grand remnant of the old aristocracy, though its walls hold memories of a violent turning point in French history. On November 13, 1790, an angry mob converged on this mansion and ransacked the interior. The catalyst was a duel fought between the son of the house and a revolutionary deputy named Charles de Lameth. Rumors flew through Paris that the aristocrat had used a poisoned sword to wound his opponent, sparking such public outrage that the mansion became a primary target for the city's revolutionary fervor.