Hôtel de Ville & Beaubourg
Hôtel de Ville Paris tours
Tours of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris in 2026 — individual visits suspended, group tours, free exhibitions at the salle Saint-Jean, Heritage Days and the metro. Checked October 2026.
A town hall, not a museum
The Hôtel de Ville houses the Paris city government, and individual visits are suspended. The present Neo-Renaissance building dates from 1874 to 1882, built after the fire of the Commune in May 1871. It stands on the old place de Grève, in the 4th arrondissement.
Photo: Poulpy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting in during 2026
- Individual visits. Suspended until further notice.
- Group tours. Possible on request, lasting about an hour, in French, English or German. The City advises groups to write by email about two months ahead, and no tour runs during a Conseil de Paris session or a state visit.
- Salle Saint-Jean. Free exhibitions, entered at 3 rue de Lobau, generally by reservation. We could not check the programme for October 2026; confirm it before you come.
- Heritage Days. The building opened for the 2026 edition, free, with registration and photo ID. We do not have the next dates.
Photo: Zinneke, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting there
The site is on place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, with the visitor entrance at 3 rue de Lobau, and the station that carries its name (lines 1 and 11) is the one to use. The distances to neighbouring places are in the table below. Check paris.fr for the current exhibition programme before you go.
The building from outside
You can read the building from the square. The neo-Renaissance façade is 143 m long, with a campanile 50 m high, according to Wikipedia, and carries statues of Parisian figures; the central clock is framed by figures of Labour and Instruction. The reconstructed building was inaugurated on 13 July 1882, and its interior decoration was completed in 1906.
Nearly seven centuries of town hall
Wikipedia traces the site to 1357, when Étienne Marcel, the provost of the merchants, bought the Maison aux Piliers. Work on a Renaissance town hall began in 1533, to plans by Boccador, and ended in 1628. The building burned during the Commune on 23 and 24 May 1871, and the present one, by Théodore Ballu and Édouard Deperthes, was built between 1874 and 1882. On 25 August 1944, General de Gaulle gave his speech of the Liberation here. The inside has a ballroom, the salle des Fêtes, described as a republican replica of the Hall of Mirrors, and a salon des Arcades devoted to the trades; Wikipedia lists them among the reception rooms open to pre-registered free visits.
Around the town hall
Each distance is the straight line between two coordinates in our data, and each walking time is that line multiplied by 1.3 and divided by 80 metres a minute.
| Place | Straight line | On foot |
|---|---|---|
| BHV Marais | 110 m | 2 min |
| Shoah Memorial | 327 m | 5 min |
| Centre Pompidou (building) | 443 m | 7 min |
| Notre-Dame cathedral | 465 m | 8 min |
| Rue des Rosiers | 515 m | 8 min |
| Archives nationales | 524 m | 9 min |
| Museum of Jewish Art and History | 552 m | 9 min |
The BHV Marais is across the street. The salle Saint-Jean exhibitions are free but their hours vary with each show, so check paris.fr; a visit can be paired with the Shoah Memorial, which is open Sunday to Friday, or with the Archives nationales. The walking tour starts here. Seven hotels of our base are within 300 m, sixteen within 450 m.
Metro stations around the town hall
Three hotels around the town hall give the walk to the stations that serve it.
- Le Grand Mazarin, 168 m from the Hôtel de Ville, lists Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11) at 250 m, 3 min on foot; Rambuteau (line 11) at 550 m, 7 min on foot.
- Hôtel Duo, 189 m from the Hôtel de Ville, lists Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11) at 150 m, 2 min on foot; Rambuteau (line 11) at 450 m, 6 min on foot.
- Hôtel Le Presbytère, 330 m from the Hôtel de Ville, lists Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11) at 250 m, 3 min on foot; Châtelet (lines 1 and 4 and 7 and 11 and 14) at 300 m, 4 min on foot.
Group visits and the salle Saint-Jean
Group visits last about an hour and are free; the City advises asking by e-mail about two months ahead, and they do not run during a Conseil de Paris session or a state visit. The salle Saint-Jean exhibitions are free; the City’s page gives no hours for them, so check paris.fr for the current show.
Where to stay near the Hôtel de Ville
Four hotels in our database give the Hôtel de Ville metro station within 250 m on foot: Hôtel Andrea and Hôtel Duo at 150 m, Hôtel Le Presbytère and Le Grand Mazarin at 250 m. The full list is in our hotels near the Hôtel de Ville. For the rest of the day, see the guide to Le Marais.
Photo: Tangopaso, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
History and distinctive features
- The Neo-Renaissance building was rebuilt from 1874 to 1882 by the architects Théodore Ballu and Édouard Deperthes, after the fire set by the Communards on 23 and 24 May 1871. Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville is the old place de Grève. Source : fr.wikipedia.org
- Individual visits are suspended « until further notice », according to the paris.fr page updated on 26 January 2026. Source : paris.fr
Hotels near the Hôtel de Ville of Paris
Other hotels
- Le Grand Mazarin ★★★★★ 3 min walk · 200 m
- Hôtel Duo ★★★★ 3 min walk · 250 m
- Hôtel de Nice ★★★ 4 min walk · 300 m
- Hôtel Andrea ★★★ 4 min walk · 350 m
- Hôtel Bourg Tibourg ★★★★ 4 min walk · 350 m
- Hôtel France Louvre ★★★ 4 min walk · 350 m
Within 600 m as the crow flies, nearest first. Walking times are estimates: straight-line distance × 1.3, at 80 metres a minute, to the station, not to a specific exit.
Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside the Hôtel de Ville?
Not individually: the City of Paris says individual visits are suspended until further notice (page updated 26 January 2026). Group tours are possible on request.
How do I arrange a group tour?
It lasts about an hour, in French, English or German. The City advises asking by email about two months ahead, and no tour is possible during a Conseil de Paris session or a state visit.
Does the Hôtel de Ville open for Heritage Days?
Yes: it took part in the 2026 edition, with free entry, registration and photo ID required. We do not have the next edition’s dates; check paris.fr.
Are the salle Saint-Jean exhibitions free?
Yes, but they generally require a reservation. We could not check the exhibition shown in October 2026.
What can I see from the outside?
The Neo-Renaissance façade and place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, the former place de Grève, open at any hour.
Who designed the present Hôtel de Ville?
Théodore Ballu and Édouard Deperthes, between 1874 and 1882, after the fire of May 1871. It was inaugurated on 13 July 1882, according to Wikipedia.
How long is the façade of the Hôtel de Ville?
143 m, with a campanile 50 m high, according to Wikipedia.
What is the nearest shop to the Hôtel de Ville?
The BHV Marais department store, 110 m away in a straight line across the rue de Rivoli.
Which metro station serves the Hôtel de Ville?
Hôtel de Ville, on lines 1 and 11, about 150 to 250 m on foot from the neighbouring hotels in our base; Châtelet, with five metro lines, is about 300 m away from Hôtel Le Presbytère.
Is a visit to the Hôtel de Ville free?
Group visits and the salle Saint-Jean exhibitions are free, according to paris.fr; individual visits are suspended.