Maison dite La vieille auberge
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison dite La vieille auberge, located in Bergerac (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
- Bergerac, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8513, 0.4840
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082377
At the heart of medieval Bergerac, the Vieille Auberge reveals its pointed arches with small columns and its trilobed twin windows — a civil Gothic gem from the 15th century of rare elegance.
History
Nestling in the old town of Bergerac, this residence known as "La Vieille Auberge" is one of the most precious examples of medieval civil architecture in Périgord. Far removed from the great fortresses and prestigious châteaux, it embodies another form of urban nobility: that of the prosperous merchant bourgeoisie who, in the 14th and 15th centuries, shaped the face of the towns of the south-west with as much ambition as the warlords. The complex actually comprises two adjoining houses, whose interlocking structure bears witness to the organic evolution of medieval building. This architectural palimpsest allows the attentive visitor to read in the façade several generations of tastes and prosperity. The most remarkable facade, dating from the 16th century, stands out for the exceptional quality of its four ogival arches supported by slender columns, crowned with capitals delicately carved with ivy leaves - a plant motif symbolising fidelity and perseverance, dear to the late Gothic imagination. Two windows with geminated openings complete this façade, a bravura piece of flamboyant Gothic architecture from the Périgord region. Their three-lobed and quatrefoil infills are similar to those found in the large residences of merchants from Toulouse and Bordeaux of the same period, reminding us of the intense commercial links between Bergerac and the major cities of the Aquitaine basin. A visit to La Vieille Auberge is above all a chance to be surprised by the ornamental sophistication of a seemingly modest building. At the bend in a cobbled street in the old quarter, the façade emerges with its meticulous sculptures, proving that Gothic refinement was not limited to cathedrals. The monument is part of an ancient urban fabric that offers an incomparable setting for a historic stroll, just a stone's throw from the Tobacco Museum and the banks of the Dordogne.
Architecture
The building consists of two adjoining buildings, the legacy of successive constructions dating from the 14th to 16th centuries. Local limestone, a universal building material in the Périgord region, makes up the bulk of the masonry, giving the façade the warm blond hue that is so characteristic of Bergerac's old quarters. The roof, with its steep slope in the tradition of southern town houses, was originally covered with canal tiles or lauzes, depending on the availability of regional materials. The most striking feature of the facade, attributed to the 16th century, is its four carefully matched ogival arches, resting on finely turned columns topped with historiated capitals adorned with stylised ivy leaves. This plant motif, omnipresent in the late Gothic repertoire, is treated here with a delicacy that betrays the hand of an experienced sculptor, probably active in several bourgeois building sites in the Dordogne region. Two windows with geminated openings complete the ornamental programme: their infills combine the trefoil and quatrefoil shapes typical of the Flamboyant Gothic style, adding lightness and elegance to the overall composition. The interior layout followed the classic layout of a medieval merchant's house: a large commercial or storage area on the ground floor, accessible via the pointed arches that serve both as doors and display windows, and a private dwelling on the upper floors, served by a spiral staircase. The ensemble is a coherent and rare example of civil Gothic domestic architecture in Périgord, halfway between rural sobriety and the splendour of town houses in large cities.
Related Figures
Négociant anonyme du XIVe siècle — commanditaire présumé de la première maison, figure type du marchand prospère bergeracoisArtisan-sculpteur anonyme du XVIe siècle — auteur probable des chapiteaux aux feuilles de lierre et des remplages géminésMarchands huguenots bergeracois — bourgeoisie réformée du XVIe siècle qui façonna l'identité commerciale et architecturale de la villeInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (1948) — acteurs de la protection officielle de l'édificeCyrano de Bergerac (Hercule-Savinien de Cyrano, 1619-1655) — figure légendaire associée à la ville, dont la mémoire baigne tout le vieux Bergerac
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison dite La vieille auberge located?
Maison dite La vieille auberge is located in Bergerac, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Maison dite La vieille auberge built?
Maison dite La vieille auberge dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison dite La vieille auberge open to visitors?
Maison dite La vieille auberge is currently closed to visitors.