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Origin and history

Hotel Fouet is a private hotel built in 1740 in Caen, Place Saint-Sauveur, by a rich local draper named Monsieur Fouet. This monument is among the first built after the reorganization of the square decided by the aldermen in 1735. Although the general alignment is respected, its facade stands out with its decorated ironwork balcony, its shell-shaped bay keys, and carved allegories such as Death or Time. These rococo elements highlight the noble floor, reflecting the social status of its sponsor.

The Fouet hotel does not fully comply with the standards imposed by Intendant Fontette for the standardization of the square. Its height and the richness of its decorations – country motifs, allegorical faces, and remarkable bodyguards – make it an architectural exception. These aesthetic choices, aimed at seeing and being seen, reflect the ambitions of a growing trading bourgeoisie in the 18th century in Caen. The building has been protected since 1927, with an inscription covering its façade.

Saint-Sauveur Square, renovated in the mid-18th century, symbolizes Caen's urban modernization under the Old Regime. The surrounding private hotels, such as Fouet's, testify to the enrichment of local traders and artisans, often linked to the sheet trade. These ostentatious residences served both as housing and as a social showcase, affirming the prestige of their owners in a then economically dynamic city.

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