Maison de Victor Hugo visitor guide

Visit Maison de Victor Hugo, Paris

The Maison de Victor Hugo is the house in Paris where Victor Hugo lived. It is situated on the south-east corner of the Place des Vosges, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris.

Victor Hugo (1802-1885) was one of the most famous and influential authors of the 19th century, and was also a poet, a dramatist and an early advocate for the importance of preserving French monuments and heritage. He is best known internationally for his book Les Miserables.

Discover the Maison de Victor Hugo

France This Way review: the Maison de Victor Hugo is an interesting chance to see an apartment in a 19th century house, there is a wide collection of items related to the author, and the house is free to visit, so there is no reason not to visit!

In the same style as many of the houses around the edges of the charming Place des Vosges, the Maison de Victor Hugo is an imposing townhouse built in red brick and with stone arcades at ground level. The house was called the Hôtel de Rohan-Guémené, and Victor Hugo lived in an apartment of nearly 300 square metres here (very large!) from 1832 to 1848.

Hugo wrote many important works while he lived in the apartment, including most of Les Miserables, and became a member of the Academy Francais, a prestigious post for an organisation dedicated to the preservation of the French language.

The apartment is more in the spirit of Victor Hugo, rather than an accurate recreation of his apartment, because the internal layout of the apartment has been modified since, and his original furnishings were lost.

Many of the items we see in the house today were a gift to the museum from Paul Meurice, a friend of the author, and include numerous drawings, books, busts, photographs and furnishings.

During your visit you pass through several rooms presenting these items, and even if they are not accurate as to the time that Victor Hugo lived here, they certainly are a realistic presentation of how his 19th century apartment would have been when he lived there. Each room depict a separate period from his life, such as his youth, his marriage, and his life before, during and after exile.

Victor Hugo was a constant advocate for the rights of the poor, and he fought against slavery and the death penalty. He was forced to live in Jersey and Guernsey for about 20 years, after he was exiled from France for his opposition to the forming of the Second Empire, under Napoleon III.

The house is open for visits most days except Mondays and bank holidays, is free to enter, and does not require reservation in advance of your visit.

Attractions nearby

Just inside the doors of the Church Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, on Rue de Rivoli not far from the Maison de Victor Hugo, you can see two large fonts in the form of shells: these were presented to the church when his first child was baptised here, or possibly when his daughter was married here.

You can find more travel ideas in the Paris region guide.

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Places to visit near Maison de Victor Hugo

Place des Vosges
The Place des Vosges is an impressive square surrounded by 17th century townhouses
Place des Vosges guide

Hotel de Sully
The Hotel de Sully is an impressive 17th century mansion house with courtyard and gardens in the Maris district of Paris
Hotel de Sully guide

Church Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis
The Church Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis is an imposing baroque style church in the Marais quarter of Paris
Church Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis guide

Hôtel de Sens
The Hotel de Sens is a 15th century Bishop's palace in the Marais district of Paris
Hôtel de Sens guide

Jardin Tino Rossi
The Tino Rossi garden is both a pretty riverside walk and garden and also an outdoor sculpture museum.
Jardin Tino Rossi guide

River Seine
The Seine river is at the heart of the city, near many of the famous monuments, and a boat ride on the Seine is a popular attraction
River Seine guide
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