The Élysée Palace is the building that best embodies French power. However, the destiny of this town house was not pre-ordained. First the home of a count, and then for Madame de Pompadour, it went on to house state leaders visiting Paris before becoming the residence of the Presidents of the Republic. The Élysée Palace has welcomed the world’s most powerful figures over the past three centuries.
But how did this 365-room, 11,000 m² building become the cornerstone of France’s institutions? How did it withstand the challenges of history? Who shaped it into the most imposing and the most secret place in France?
The Élysée is home to ceremonial salons, huge walls, secret passages, apartments, reception rooms, and the Jupiter nuclear command center. With the help of experts, 3D models, reconstructions, and animated archive material, this documentary takes us on a trip back through the incredible saga of this seat of French power that has become a symbol of the Republic itself.
Direction: Fabrice Buysschaert
Production: La Famiglia for RMC Découverte