Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building at 16 rue de Poissy in Saint-Germain-en-Laye was built in 1897 by the communal architect Léon Carle. From its very beginning, the ground floor was home to a cheese factory, whose shop now retains an exceptional décor. The window, symmetrical with a central door framed by two large panels, reflects the commercial aesthetic of the time. Inside, the walls are covered with coloured marbles and light stucco, while the white ceramic ceiling, decorated with floral motifs, completes this preserved ensemble.

The original furniture, made of veined white marble, includes shelves, open-plan displays and sober storage. The central space leads to a finely worked wooden case, topped by a clock, and equipped with a mechanical body dated 1900, still functional. This type of creation, rare outside Paris, has earned the shop an inscription in the Historical Monuments by order of 26 April 1999. The architect Léon Carle, master of the project, has designed a coherent set where crafts and commerce mix with elegance.

The location of the building, on a shopping street in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, highlights its role in local economic life at the end of the 19th century. The city, close to Paris, benefited from an easy clientele, attracted by specialized shops such as this cheese factory. The preservation of its decor and furniture makes it a rare testimony to the commercial and craft practices of the time, now protected for its heritage value.

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