In brief
Georges-Eugène Haussmann, Prefect of the Seine from 1853 to 1870 under Napoleon III, transformed Paris in 17 years: roughly 20,000 buildings demolished and 40,000 built, 600 km of sewers dug and major parks created (Bois de Boulogne, Buttes-Chaumont). The works cost nearly 2.5 billion gold francs. In 2026, about 60% of Parisian buildings date from this period (1850-1914), and a Haussmannian apartment sells for 10 to 20% more, like for like, than a property without these features. Home Select has supported buyers across this heritage since 2011.
Key takeaways
- Baron Haussmann served as Prefect of the Seine from 1853 to 1870, demolishing approximately 20,000 buildings and constructing 40,000 new ones to transform Paris from a medieval city into a modern capital.
- Haussmann imposed strict facade regulations: cut stone, six-storey height cap, street alignment, continuous balconies on the 2nd and 5th floors, and zinc mansard roofs, creating the visual identity of Paris.
- Approximately 60% of current Parisian buildings date from the Haussmannian period (1850-1914), and Haussmannian apartments command a price premium of 10 to 20% over equivalent properties without period features.
- The transformation included 600 km of sewers, a modern water supply system, and major parks (Bois de Boulogne, Buttes-Chaumont), but displaced tens of thousands of residents to peripheral arrondissements.
Georges-Eugène Haussmann, Prefect of the Seine from 1853 to 1870, transformed Paris from an unsanitary medieval city into the modern capital we know today. In 17 years, he redesigned the streets, imposed an architectural style, created parks and modernised infrastructure. Here is how this transformation still shapes today’s Paris and the Parisian property market.
What did Paris look like before Haussmann?
A dense, dark and insanitary medieval city: streets often less than 3 metres wide, dilapidated buildings and regular cholera epidemics. Its population had grown from 500,000 to one million inhabitants in fifty years, without any adaptation of urban planning.
The year is 1850. Napoleon III, who had lived in London and admired its wide avenues and parks, decided to transform the capital. He appointed Haussmann to execute this project.
Why did Haussmann cut the grand boulevards through Paris?
For three reasons at once: to improve traffic flow, to clean up neighbourhoods by letting in air and light, and to enable the deployment of underground water, sewer and gas networks. His plan was built on a network of wide, straight axes cutting through Paris from east to west and north to south.
Boulevard de Sebastopol, the extended rue de Rivoli, Boulevard Saint-Michel, Boulevard Malesherbes: these thoroughfares created urban perspectives that had not previously existed.
The boulevards also became commercial axes, with the first department stores (Bon Marche, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette).
What defines a Haussmannian building?
Strict regulations that standardised facades: cut stone, height capped at six storeys as a rule, street alignment, continuous balconies on the 2nd and 5th floors, zinc-clad mansard roofs. Inside, the 2nd floor, known as the noble floor, offered the highest ceilings and the finest ornamentation.
This model created the visual identity of Paris that the whole world recognises.
Higher floors, progressively more modest, housed less affluent residents. The top floor, under the roof, contained servants’ quarters. Today, these same chambre de bonne rooms, combined and redesigned, are the subject of specific searches by buyers. Our article on Haussmannian apartments details these characteristics.
Which Parisian parks do we owe to Haussmann?
The Bois de Boulogne (846 hectares) to the west, the Bois de Vincennes (995 hectares) to the east, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont to the north and Parc Montsouris to the south. Engineer Jean-Charles Alphand designed them with artificial lakes, waterfalls and landscapes that imitate nature.
Haussmann thereby created or redesigned most of the great Parisian parks.
These parks were not just leisure spaces: they contributed to air quality and urban balance. Today, proximity to these green spaces is one of the most frequent search criteria among family buyers.
What remains of Haussmann’s underground networks?
600 km of sewers dug beneath the boulevards, out of the 2,600 km the Parisian network extends to today. Added to that were a water supply system with reservoirs and aqueducts, and a gas network for street lighting.
This was the invisible but fundamental part of the transformation: Paris went from an insanitary city to a modern one within a single generation.
Who paid the social price of Haussmann’s works?
The poorest residents. The demolitions displaced tens of thousands of people, and the new, more expensive buildings pushed the working classes towards the peripheral arrondissements and the suburbs.
The Haussmann transformation came at a considerable social cost. The demolition of 20,000 buildings displaced tens of thousands of residents, often the poorest. The new, more expensive buildings pushed the working classes towards the peripheral arrondissements (18th, 19th, 20th) and the suburbs. This gentrification of central Paris, begun under Haussmann, continues to this day.
How much did Haussmann’s works cost?
Approximately 2.5 billion gold francs, financed through borrowing and land sales. That financing method, deemed opaque by parliamentarians, caused Haussmann’s downfall in 1870.
But the essential work was done: Paris was transformed.
What is Haussmann’s property legacy worth today?
Approximately 60% of Parisian buildings date from the Haussmannian period (1850-1914) and form the core of the market. Ceiling height, light, mouldings and parquet flooring translate into a premium of 10 to 20% compared to properties without these attributes.
That is why buyers specifically seek out these features.
For a property hunter in Paris, knowing the differences between a true Haussmannian (1850-1870), a post-Haussmannian (1870-1914) and a later pastiche is essential to advising a buyer correctly.
Looking for an authentic Haussmannian apartment? Contact our team. We know the buildings, the floors and the addresses that matter.
Frequently asked questions
01 What is Haussmannian architecture?
Haussmannian architecture refers to the uniform building style imposed in Paris between 1853 and 1870 under Baron Haussmann. It features cut-stone facades aligned along the street, wrought-iron balconies on the second and fifth floors, tall French windows and sculpted cornices. Strict symmetry and restrained ornamentation define the style.
02 When did Baron Haussmann transform Paris?
Georges-Eugène Haussmann served as Prefect of the Seine from 1853 to 1870, under Napoleon III. In 17 years, he carved out the grand boulevards, created parks (Bois de Boulogne, Buttes-Chaumont), modernised the water and sewer networks, and imposed a uniform architectural style that still defines the face of Paris.
03 How many buildings were constructed under Haussmann?
Approximately 20,000 buildings were demolished and 40,000 new ones were built between 1853 and 1870. These figures represent the largest urban transformation ever carried out in a European capital. The population of Paris grew from 1 to 2 million inhabitants during this period.
04 Why are Haussmannian apartments more expensive?
Haussmannian apartments combine several sought-after qualities: ceiling heights of 2.80 to 3.20 metres, oak parquet floors, mouldings, fireplaces, large windows and natural light. Like for like, a Haussmannian apartment sells for 10 to 20% more than a property of the same era without these characteristics.
