Hôtel des Ambassadeurs

The Hotel des Ambassadeurs (French for "Ambassadors' Hotel") is a former hotel in Vichy, now transformed into a private residence. During World War II, the hotel housed the diplomatic missions that moved from German-occupied Paris to Vichy. The hotel is located near the Allier river, in the spa district of the city, at 1 rue du Parc and place Joseph-Aletti opposite the opera, adjacent to the Aletti Palace and in the immediate vicinity of the Parc des Sources. Some rooms on the ground floor with their decor have been registered since March 4, 1991 as a Monument historique of France: the large entrance hall with its lights, staircase and glassware by Francis Chigot, the large living room, the small living room with its painted decoration, the old dining room and the patio. It was built in 1858 but in 1866 it was enlarged and restructured. A renowned hotel, it appeared in the first tourist guides of the time. In 1890, it was one of the first to be equipped with an elevator and a telephone. It then has a hall that can accommodate more than 500 people. In 1897, the rooms were equipped with heating (most hotels operating during the summer season were not equipped with it). In 1900, its owner, Mr. Roubeau, installed electric lighting there. It has adjoining villas around the hotel where whole families can be accommodated while benefiting from the hotel's services, such as the Castel flamand at 1 and 2 rue de Belgique, and three villas on rue de Russie, connected to the hotel through underground passages. During World War I, the hotel was transformed into a military hospital. The hotel played an important role during World War II. After Germany occupied France and established a government based in Vichy, the German government requested that the diplomatic missions based in Paris move to the new provisional capital. Several governments accepted the request and established their missions in the hotel, with over twenty embassies and over forty accredited foreign diplomats moving into the hotel's rooms.