A local’s guide to visiting the Lavirotte building at 29 Avenue Rapp in Paris; a beautiful Art Nouveau building with a straight view of the Eiffel Tower!
I never really know what I’ll end up visiting when I wake up – it’s really just on the day that I finally choose famous and secret Parisian spots that I really want to see.
Usually, I’ve had these in my bucket list for days/weeks before I finally decide on a few beautiful places I think you guys may love visiting with me.
Recently, I finally got out of my usual areas like Rue Saint-Denis, Le Marais, Quartier Latin and the 13th arrondissement of Paris, and made my way to the 7th arrondissement, at 29 Avenue Rapp.
That’s where you’ll find the Lavirotte building (Immeuble Lavirotte in French), one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau places in Paris – gorgeous, mind-blowing, and truly unmissable.
Lavirotte Building, Paris: Art Nouveau near the Eiffel Tower
The Lavirotte Building was designed by architect Jules Lavirotte and built between 1899 and 1901, at the very time when Art Nouveau was in vogue.
In 1903, the building won the City of Paris’s annual competition for the most beautiful facade.
You can see that all around it are almost only located Haussmannian-style buildings, of the kind you can find around Saint-Lazare and Opéra stations as well.
I reached the Lavirotte Building with the bus, and as I walked down Avenue Rapp, saw the Eiffel Tower on my direct right.
There are plenty of places with a view of the Eiffel Tower, but this one, I did not expect.
Read: Cité Florale, A Secret Village in Paris 13th Arrondissement
It’s not only one of the most aesthetic buildings in Paris.
The facade of the Art Nouveau building served as a massive advertisement for Alexandre Bigot, a master ceramist who owned the building.
The flamed sandstone makes the Lavirotte Building extra-special, but what you really cannot miss is the door: it’s indeed one of the most beautiful doors in Paris.
Read: The Most Beautiful Bookstores in Paris
The entrance is not only beautiful, it’s also very (very!) laden with phallic symbolism, from the wooden door to the door handles sculpted in the shape of lizards.
In 1900s Parisian slang, ‘le lézard’ was a euphemism for male genitalia.
Then, the door is framed by stone sculptures of Adam and Eve.
Above the entrance, a woman’s head (rumored to be a portrait of Lavirotte’s wife, the painter Jane de Montchenu) looks down at passersby.
Art Nouveau is an architectural style very much filled with symbolism.
That’s why on the facade of the Lavirotte Building, you’ll find plenty of animal motifs from turtles to bulls’ heads, peacocks and snakes, in addition to acanthus leaves, fruits and flowers.
Read: Cloître des Billettes, A Secret Photo Spot in Paris’s Marais
The building follows the asymmetry so typical of Art Nouveau.
The glazed ceramic tiles only echo the irregular windows and balconies, supposed to mimic organic growth and natural movement.
Immeuble Lavirotte Paris Photo Gallery
Lavirotte Building, Paris: Art Nouveau near the Eiffel Tower
The Lavirotte Building is truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve been given to see in Paris; and definitely one of the most secret photo spots of the city!
Unlike Rue Crémieux and the Rue de l’Université, I’ve seen absolutely no one photograph this gorgeous Art Nouveau spot.
The only downside is that the building is private, and not open to the public for tours.
However, the facade is a registered Historical Monument since 1964.
When you’re done admiring the many details that cover the Lavirotte Building, if you don’t have your fill of Art Nouveau architecture just yet, just around the corner is Square Rapp.
It’s but one of the most secret courtyards in Paris, where Jules Lavirotte lived, and offers a hidden, framed view of the Eiffel Tower and wonderful buildings no one really talks about!
Lavirotte Building Paris
Address: 29 Avenue Rapp, 75007 Paris
Website: Sortir a Paris
Other Paris Spots
- 9 Secret Colorful Alleys in Paris To Visit for Photos
- Cloître des Billettes, A Secret Photo Spot in Paris’s Marais
- Free Things to Do in Paris: 15 Places to Visit on a Budget
- Shopping in Paris: 8 Spots for Clothes, Makeup, Books & Food
- 11 Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Paris to Walk Around
- Fall in Paris: 17 Wonderfully Secret Places to Visit
- 6 Free Museums in Paris To Visit With Beautiful Decor
- Montmartre Paris: 14+ Hidden Gems and Secret Places
- 9 Aesthetic Streets in Paris To Wander Around and Snap Shots
- Floral Paris: 8 Pretty Places in Paris From Spring to Fall
- 17 Magical Gardens in Paris and Gorgeous Parks To Visit
- 14 Best Cafes To Work in Paris & Study (Laptop Friendly!)