Hôtel de Fayolle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Hôtel de Fayolle, located in Périgueux (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Périgueux, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.1852, 0.7250
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082732
In the heart of Périgueux, the Hôtel de Fayolle conceals a seventeenth-century porch of rare Baroque elegance, with its pediment, bull's eye crowned with laurels and projecting pilasters - a discreet jewel of classic Périgord architecture.
History
In the dense urban fabric of old Périgueux, the Hôtel de Fayolle stands out as one of those monuments that you only really discover if you look up at the right moment. Its facade, sober in appearance, is pierced by a monumental porch that in itself encapsulates all the sophistication of the architectural vocabulary of the Grand Siècle in Périgord. Listed as a historic monument since 1970, this private mansion bears witness to the refined taste of the great Périgord families for discreet pomp and controlled elegance. What really sets the Hôtel de Fayolle apart from the many noble residences in Périgueux's historic centre is the exceptional quality of its porch. The projecting stonework framing the rounded opening, the pilasters and the overhanging cornice create a remarkably coherent style, with each element responding to the next in a skilful dialogue between architecture and sculpted decoration. The central oeil-de-bœuf, an omnipresent motif in 17th-century French architecture, takes on a particularly ornate dimension here: a garland of laurel leaves - a symbol of glory and immortality - wraps around the oculus, resting on leather embellished with ribbons. This finely sculpted decoration is reminiscent of the Parisian master ornamentalists, while retaining something of the robustness typical of local Périgord stone. At the corner of the building, a small niche in a composite style completes the decorative scheme, offering attentive strollers a second reason to marvel. It bears witness to the attention to detail that goes into even the most secondary elements of the architectural composition, a hallmark of the most demanding clients. A visit to the Hôtel de Fayolle is a living lesson in the civil architecture of the French provinces at the time of Louis XIV. In a city as rich in heritage as Périgueux - Saint-Front cathedral, Gallo-Roman remains - this private mansion represents the less visible but just as precious layer of urban heritage: that of the mansions of the noblesse de robe and the rising bourgeoisie, who made the city a theatre of social representation from the 17th century onwards.
Architecture
The porch of the Hôtel de Fayolle is a particularly fine example of classical ornamental architecture in Périgord. The frame of the rounded opening rests on a projecting stone bond that gives the whole a strong plasticity, reinforced by the presence of pilasters - flat pillars set into the wall - that structure the vertical composition and support a strongly overhanging cornice, characteristic of the Louis XIV style in its provincial expressions. The porch is crowned by a so-called "coupé" pediment - i.e. broken at the centre - an architectural device very common in the European Baroque repertoire, which here accommodates the oeil-de-bœuf motif. This oculus, the real centrepiece of the sculpted décor, is framed by a garland of laurel leaves executed with great finesse. The garland rests on leather - an ornament in the shape of an upturned skin, typical of Mannerist and Baroque vocabulary - embellished with knotted ribbons. Two balls flank the top of the garland, giving the composition a neat, plastic finish. The whole reveals the hand of a sculptor or stonemason with a perfect command of the ornamental repertoire disseminated by the great Parisian collections of the period. At the corner of the building, a niche in a composite style - combining elements of the Ionic and Corinthian orders - completes the architectural programme. The materials used are Périgord limestone, a blond to beige stone typical of the region, which is well suited to fine carving while ageing harmoniously. The porch as a whole is part of an urban façade that, in its current configuration, bears witness to the successive alterations that the town house has undergone over the centuries.
Related Figures
Famille de Fayolle — commanditaires et premiers propriétaires de l'hôtel, noblesse périgourdine du XVIIe siècleMaître tailleur de pierre anonyme — auteur probable du porche sculpté et de ses décors baroquesIntendants du Périgord (XVIIe siècle) — acteurs du renouveau architectural de Périgueux sous l'Ancien RégimeInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (XXe siècle) — responsables de la reconnaissance et de la protection de l'édifice en 1970
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hôtel de Fayolle located?
Hôtel de Fayolle is located in Périgueux, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Hôtel de Fayolle built?
Hôtel de Fayolle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Hôtel de Fayolle open to visitors?
Hôtel de Fayolle is currently closed to visitors.
