Hôtel de L'Hoste
MonumentHidden Treasure
Hôtel de L'Hoste, located in Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône), 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
- Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.6791, 4.6267
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081151
In the heart of old Arles, the Hôtel de L'Hoste displays the baroque elegance of the 17th century, with its ashlar facade, sculpted gateway and inner courtyard that still echoes of Arles' upper middle classes.
History
Nestling in the labyrinth of narrow streets in the historic centre of Arles, a city whose Roman and medieval past permeates every stone, the Hôtel de L'Hoste stands out as one of the finest examples of 17th-century Baroque civil architecture in Provence. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1989, it belongs to the generation of private mansions that transformed the urban face of Arles in the classical age, when the merchant bourgeoisie and parliamentary families vied with each other in architectural ambition. What sets the Hôtel de L'Hoste apart from the profusion of historic residences in Arles is precisely the consistency of its architectural approach: the building has not undergone the successive alterations that disfigure so many houses of the period. The Provençal restraint of the street façade contrasts with the ornate richness of the entrance portal - pilasters, moulded entablature, sculpted keystone - a symbolic threshold between the world of commerce and the aristocratic intimacy of the dwelling. To enter the Hôtel de L'Hoste is to enter the hushed world of the great Arles families of the Grand Siècle. The interior courtyard, organised around a staircase with a forged banister whose floral motifs bear witness to the skills of Provençal ironworkers, offers visitors a striking stop-off point. The generous volumes of the reception rooms, the interplay of vaults and arcades, all combine to recreate the atmosphere of a residence where the city's economic and political decisions were taken. Arles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its ancient monuments, has a rare density of heritage in just a few hectares. The Hôtel de L'Hoste is part of this continuum, representing an era often overshadowed by Roman splendour: the 17th century, a period of urban renewal and the affirmation of a refined Provençal identity. For the discerning visitor, the residence provides a valuable counterpoint to the amphitheatres and thermal baths, reminding us that the grandeur of Arles did not end with Antiquity.
Architecture
The Hôtel de L'Hoste illustrates the canonical type of 17th-century Provencal Baroque town house, as it developed in Arles, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille under the combined influence of local tradition and the Italian models disseminated by the architectural treatises of the period. The building adopts the characteristic U-shaped plan: a main building on the street, with two wings forming a courtyard of honour enclosed by a low wall or a monumental gate. This spatial organisation, inherited from the Roman peristyle house, the remains of which can still be seen in Arles, allows a distinction to be made between representative areas, open to the street, and private areas, facing the courtyard. The main facade, built of ashlar limestone in the warm colours typical of the Camargue and Crau regions, has a rigorous layout: bays with moulded frames, dripstones underlining the levels, and above all an entrance gate treated like a piece of architectural goldsmithery. Composite pilasters, a sculpted frieze with foliage and palmettes, and an arch keystone adorned with a mascaron or coat of arms make up a decorative programme that is sober but of a high quality of execution. The interior features a grand staircase with a wrought iron banister whose arabesques bear witness to the refinement of Provencal ironworkers, French ceilings or carefully painted exposed beams, and glazed terracotta tile floors. The low-sloped roof, covered with round Provençal-style canal tiles, completes the harmonious integration of the building into the urban landscape of Arles.
Related Figures
Famille de L'Hoste — commanditaire et propriétaire éponyme, notable arlésien du XVIIe siècleMaîtres-maçons arlésiens du XVIIe siècle — bâtisseurs formés à la tradition constructive provençaleÉvêques d'Arles — figures tutélaires de la vie culturelle et architecturale de la cité au Grand SiècleIntendants de Provence — représentants royaux ayant encouragé l'embellissement des villes provençalesFerronniers provençaux — artisans auteurs des rampes forgées et des grilles ornementales
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hôtel de L'Hoste located?
Hôtel de L'Hoste is located in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Hôtel de L'Hoste built?
Hôtel de L'Hoste dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Hôtel de L'Hoste open to visitors?
Hôtel de L'Hoste is currently closed to visitors.
