She settled her household on the Left Bank of the Seine in the "Hostel de la Reyne Margueritte", which is illustrated in Merian's 1615 plan of Paris; the "hostel" was built for her to designs by Jean Bullant in 1609. The palace became a Parisian political and intellectual center. Queen Margaret gave brilliant receptions with theatrical performances and ballets that lasted until night and had great patrons; she also opened a literary lounge where she organized a company of philosophers, poets and scholars (among them Marie de Gournay, Philippe Desportes, François Maynard, Etienne Pasquier, Théophile de Viau).