The official French residence on Kalorama Road, which will undergo renovations (left). The Foxhall Road home that will be the French Ambassador's temporary residence (right). Photographs by Carol Ross Joynt.
Any owner of an older home can tell you that upkeep is all about patch, patch, patch,
at least until the day arrives when a more extensive renovation becomes due. That
due date arrived this week for the French ambassador. The embassy announced that Ambassador François Delattre and his family have moved out of the country’s official ambassadorial residence on
Kalorama Road and into a temporary rental on Foxhall Road. The official residence
needs a renovation, especially to the upstairs—where, going back even to the tenure
of the last ambassador, Pierre Vimont, there were leaks and other signs of wear and tear.
French Embassy staff spent several months looking at potential rental properties,
including in Georgetown, with requirements that included ample rooms for public entertaining
and parking. The home they chose—a three-story, cream-colored brick with dark green
shutters, built in 2010—is held by Djurdjura LLC, which, according to public records,
belongs to Salah Brahimi. According to the records its 2013 assessment is $6,799,680. It has a total of 18
rooms, including seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms. While that may sound grand, the
ambassador’s residence, in addition to being a family home, is also a hotel for visiting
ministers and other French dignitaries.
When the embassy sent out an e-mail Thursday to let
friends know of the change of
address, there was a moment’s stir when recipients asked that
most critical question:
What would happen with the White House Correspondents’
Association dinner after-party
that Vanity Fair and Bloomberg host at the French residence? As
we reported in November,
the always-celebrity-packed party is still on for April 27, at
the Kalorama residence.
Currently, that’s the only party the French plan to host at the
old residence while
it is under renovation. Now begin the aggressive lobbying
campaigns, among otherwise
well-behaved adults, to get on the invitation list.
The French Ambassador and Family Have Moved to a New DC Residence
They’ve relocated to Foxhall while the official Kalorama residence undergoes renovations.
Any owner of an older home can tell you that upkeep is all about patch, patch, patch,
at least until the day arrives when a more extensive renovation becomes due. That
due date arrived this week for the French ambassador. The embassy announced that
Ambassador François Delattre and his family have moved out of the country’s official ambassadorial residence on
Kalorama Road and into a temporary rental on Foxhall Road. The official residence
needs a renovation, especially to the upstairs—where, going back even to the tenure
of the last ambassador,
Pierre Vimont, there were leaks and other signs of wear and tear.
French Embassy staff spent several months looking at potential rental properties,
including in Georgetown, with requirements that included ample rooms for public entertaining
and parking. The home they chose—a three-story, cream-colored brick with dark green
shutters, built in 2010—is held by Djurdjura LLC, which, according to public records,
belongs to
Salah Brahimi. According to the records its 2013 assessment is $6,799,680. It has a total of 18
rooms, including seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms. While that may sound grand, the
ambassador’s residence, in addition to being a family home, is also a hotel for visiting
ministers and other French dignitaries.
When the embassy sent out an e-mail Thursday to let
friends know of the change of
address, there was a moment’s stir when recipients asked that
most critical question:
What would happen with the White House Correspondents’
Association dinner after-party
that Vanity Fair and Bloomberg host at the French residence? As
we reported in November,
the always-celebrity-packed party is still on for April 27, at
the Kalorama residence.
Currently, that’s the only party the French plan to host at the
old residence while
it is under renovation. Now begin the aggressive lobbying
campaigns, among otherwise
well-behaved adults, to get on the invitation list.
Most Popular in News & Politics
5 Facts About Dumfries, Virginia, the Possible New Home of the Washington Commanders
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People
Trucker Convoy Stragglers Get Kicked Out of Racetrack, Form New Movement, Visit the National Mall, Don’t Go Home
2022 Tech Titans
Number of Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs Hits Record Low
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2022: Fantastic Foodie Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
A Johnny Cash Statue Is Coming to the Capitol
LGBTQ Pioneer Barney Frank’s Story Is Now a Graphic Novel
Inside the Effort to Revamp the DC Archives
This DC Poet Was Once the USSR’s Biggest Kid Actor
More from News & Politics
Should We Care About What’s Left of the Trucker Convoy?
5 Facts About Dumfries, Virginia, the Possible New Home of the Washington Commanders
Trucker Convoy Stragglers Get Kicked Out of Racetrack, Form New Movement, Visit the National Mall, Don’t Go Home
The Trucker Convoy Has Given Up on DC Yet Again. We Tried One Last Time to Find Out What They Wanted.
Number of Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs Hits Record Low
The Lincoln Memorial Is 100 Years Old. Here’s How to Celebrate It.
The Hill’s Newsroom Petitions to Unionize
2022 Tech Titans