House Of Heritage

Set on the most famous square in Paris and with three centuries of illustrious history, Boucheron’s aristocratic home has just emerged from a major renovation. Charlene Co travelled to the City of Light to marvel at the magic

- Charlene Co

If walls could talk, those at 26 Place Vendôme would have a distinctly aristocratic accent. Originally called Hôtel de Nocé, this beautiful building was constructed in 1717 when the regal looking square was populated by France’s grandest men and women. Over the years, Hôtel de Nocé was home to the Crozat and La Tour d’Auvergne families (think tiaras and lots of titles) and the Countess of Castiglione, Napoleon’s badly behaved mistress.

By 1893, jeweller Frédéric Boucheron’s business was growing and he moved into Hôtel de Nocé, thereby becoming one of the first of the great jewellers to open a boutique on Place Vendôme, a square that is now one of the gem hubs of Europe. The building’s name was later changed to 26 Place Vendôme and it became the flagship of the brand. With its high-ceiling rooms and sweeping staircases, the historic house cossets all the savoir-faire and values of the brand, an apt home for the Boucheron spirit.