Built in the mid-17th Century, Hôtel Lambert is a spectacular mansion on the tip of the Île Saint-Louis. The mansion has an incredible history and been home to a string of notable residents, including Voltaire. More recently, the home has been home to the late Baron and Baroness Guy de Rothschild, who acquired the property in 1975 and worked with Renzo Mongiardino to refresh the interior spaces. The images above date to their days here.

The property's current owner, Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar, now wants to overhaul the structure including the addition of lifts, air conditioning, and an underground car park. Conservationists, neighbors, and former residents are all over this one, but what a shame. It's hard to imagine anything more perfect than the hôtel in the images below.

Images from Private Paris by Marie-France Boyer.