Chopin arrived in Paris in September 1831, using the French versions of his names and travelling with a French passport after he became a French citizen in 1835.

Fire has partially destroyed a 17th-century mansion in the heart of Paris, in which Chopin frequently stayed during his visits to the city. 170 firefighters battled through the night yesterday to save the Hôtel Lambert, which housed valuable murals, paintings and frescos, including some by French painter Charles Le Brun.

As well as being the site where Chopin composed his Suite Polonaise, the hotel was the home of a number of Romantics including Voltaire and his mistress, before being converted into a luxury apartment in the 1960s. The Mayor of Paris, Bernard Delanoe, described the fire as a ‘serious blow for the city’s historical heritage’.