A Journey through History and Architectural Grace
The remains of the Château du Duc de Vendôme, dating from the 12th to 17th centuries, and its collegiate church, Saint-Georges, are silent witnesses to the power of the Bourbon-Vendôme family, who ascended to the throne of France with Henri IV.
César de Vendôme, eldest son of the good King Henri IV and the sublime Gabrielle d'Estrées, legitimized in 1595, received the Duchy of Vendôme as an apanage.
Throughout his life, he struggled to preserve the legacy his father had left him, facing the vindictiveness of Richelieu and the jealousy of his half-brother, King Louis XIII. César devoted his life to defending his rank and the benefits his father had bestowed on the House of Vendôme, embodying the soul of a devoted protector.
On the death of Marie de Luxembourg, her only daughter, Françoise de Lorraine, Duchesse de Vendôme and wife of César-Monsieur, inherited a Paris mansion still under construction. César, Duc de Vendôme, thus became the true owner by marriage. It was probably at this date (1623) that the Hôtel des Mercœur was renamed the Hôtel de Vendôme
"Hôtel de Vendôme".
On September 22, 1665, César de Vendôme died in his Hôtel de Vendôme in Paris, a sumptuous residence with some sixty rooms, reflecting the architectural marvels of the time.
The mansion, once located on the rue Saint-Honoré in Paris, was demolished in 1685 to make way for the Place Vendôme, a place that even today evokes dreams and supreme elegance, notably with luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton.