Hôtel de Lauzun, Paris

The Hôtel de Lauzun is an attraction well worth visiting, if the opportunity arises; it is not generally open to the public, although guided tours are given to certain groups by appointment. Photographs are not permitted inside, further enhancing the mystery of the place. It was originally built for Charles Gruyn in 1657, but devaluation of the property led to its being split up and rented as apartments during the 19th Century, when Charles Baudelaire wrote portions of Les Fleurs du Mal here and the Club des Haschischines, with members such as Alexandre Dumas and Eugène Delacroix, met here to explore contemporary artistic thought. Today the structure has been renovated to approximate its original appearance and is owned by the city of Paris.