Hôtel particulier

Hôtel particulier (French: [otɛl paʁtikylje] ^ⓘ) is the French term for a grand urban mansion, comparable to a British townhouse. Whereas an ordinary maison (house) was built as part of a row, sharing party walls with the houses on either side and directly fronting on a street, an hôtel particulier was often free-standing and, by the 18th century, would always be located entre cour et jardin – between the cour d'honneur (an entrance court) and the garden behind. There are hôtels particuliers in many large cities in France.