The Archives Nationales occupies a sprawling complex anchored by the Hôtel de Soubise, identifiable by its curved courtyard and ornate eighteenth-century facade. This site holds the collective memory of France, housing millions of documents ranging from royal decrees to personal letters left by revolutionaries. In seventeen ninety-three, officials hauled in the royal family’s private records to secure them against mob destruction. They turned the palace of a prince into a fortress for the nation’s paperwork, preserving the very evidence that dismantled the monarchy.
Archives Nationales
landmark
The audio tour continues in the Mira app →