Maison de Victor Hugo occupies the writer’s former apartment at 6 Place des Vosges in the Marais. Hugo lived here from 1832 to 1848, and the furnished rooms trace his life through portraits, manuscripts, letters and personal objects. Look for the red salon, the Chinese salon and the sculpture of Cosette, as well as drawings and prints that reveal Hugo’s work as an artist. The permanent collection is free to visit, and a courtyard garden café provides a quiet place to pause after the rooms.
A home on Place des Vosges
Victor Hugo rented an apartment in the Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée from 1832 to 1848. The residence overlooks Place des Vosges, in the Marais, and is now a museum devoted to his life and work. The apartment occupies the building’s second floor.
Hugo moved in a year after the publication of Notre-Dame de Paris. During his years here, he completed Ruy Blas and worked on Les Misérables. The rooms connect the setting of his private life with the writing for which he is known.
Rooms arranged around his life
The apartment’s rooms include an antechamber, a red salon, a dining room, a Chinese salon, a smaller salon, a study and a bedroom. Their furnishings and decoration evoke the home as it was during Hugo’s residence. Portraits, letters, manuscripts and personal belongings give the rooms a close link to his family and literary life.
The displays also follow Hugo through different stages of his life, including the period before exile, his exile and the years that followed. Hugo left France in 1851 for political reasons and spent much of his exile on Jersey and Guernsey. The apartment therefore tells a story that extends beyond the years he lived at Place des Vosges.
Hugo’s art and the collection
Drawings, prints and other works reveal a side of Hugo that can be less familiar than his novels and poems. Some displayed prints relate to Les Misérables, while the collection as a whole brings his visual work into conversation with the furnishings and documents around it. A sculpture of Cosette is among the works in the apartment.
The museum’s displays include manuscripts, letters, portraits and objects connected with Hugo’s life. The permanent collection is free to enter. Temporary exhibitions and special events can add another focus to a visit; check their admission details separately before you go.
FAQ
Is Maison de Victor Hugo free to visit?
Admission to the permanent collection is free. Temporary exhibitions may have a separate charge.
How long should I spend at Maison de Victor Hugo?
Allow about one to two hours to tour the apartment and its displays.
Where is Maison de Victor Hugo?
It is at 6 Place des Vosges in the Marais district of Paris.
Is the apartment air-conditioned?
No. The historic apartment is not air-conditioned, so bear that in mind on hot days.
