Plans to modernise visitor facilities at the French National Assembly have become a battleground, with opponents questioning both the €53 million price tag and the proposed design.
Issued on: 07/08/2026 - 16:51
2 min Reading time
A controversial plan to build a new visitor reception pavilion at France’s parliament building in Paris has returned to the spotlight after city authorities gave their backing to a key planning change in July. The project, designed to improve access for a growing number of visitors, would replace the existing pavilion adjoining the Palais Bourbon, home of the lower house of parliament. The Assembly first submitted a building permit in 2025, but the project was later put on hold while permission was sought to excavate beneath one of the site’s courtyards. Because the Palais Bourbon stands in an area of Paris with protected architectural heritage, the scheme requires a series of approvals involving the French state, Paris city authorities and the Architectes des Bâtiments de France, the body responsible for safeguarding historic buildings and their surroundings.
Proposed new public reception pavilion for the National Assembly, designed by the Moatti-Rivière architecture firm. © Moatti-Rivière
