Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Alluye Hotel, located at No. 8 on Rue Saint-Honoré in Blois, was built between 1498 and 1508 by Florimond Robertet, secretary and notary of Kings Charles VIII, Louis XII and François I. This monument, one of the first Renaissance-style buildings in Blois, combines Gothic elements (lamps) and reborn motifs (volutes, medallions of Roman emperors). Its inner courtyard, inspired by Italian cortiles, bears witness to the influence of Quattrocento artists on French elites after the Italian wars.

Ranked a historic monument in 1929, the hotel has undergone major transformations over the centuries. From the 17th century, its western and northern wings were partially or totally destroyed, leaving only the south and east buildings intact. In the 19th century, controversial restorations, led by Achille Lafargue and Félix Duban, altered its facade and attic, while terracotta medallions and a monumental fireplace decorated with humanist maxims still recall its original fascist.

Private property since 2007, the hotel is now divided into luxury apartments. Its courtyard, exceptionally opened during Heritage Days, preserves traces of its prestigious past, such as the white marble columns of the old north gallery, dismantled in 1812, or the remains of its private chapel. The building thus embodies both the Renaissance architectural heritage and the hazards of its preservation.

The hotel owes its name to the Barony of Alluye, fief beauceron of Robertet. Its construction coincides with the installation of the Cour de France at Blois (1498–1515), during which time the city became a major artistic home. Florimond Robertet, an ambassador to Italy and a wise collector, received works there as a copy of Michelangelo's David, now gone. The building reflects its humanistic tastes, combining ancient references and stylistic innovations.

Among the notable events, the hotel welcomed the cardinal of Lorraine in 1588 before his assassination in the General States. In the 17th century he passed to the Hurault families of Saint-Denis, Bégon, and then Louët de Terrouanne, who changed him deeply. In the 19th century, the General Mutual Insurance Company of Loir-et-Cher made it a registered office before it was converted into private residences. The restorations of the 19th century, although criticized, saved key elements such as the large hall of ambassadors.

Today, the Alluye Hotel is distinguished by its monumental portal with canned pilasters, its arched galleries in basket handle, and its terracotta medallions representing Roman emperors. These details, combined with its turbulent history, make it a unique testimony of the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in France.

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