Initial construction 2e moitié du XIIIe siècle (≈ 1350)
Medieval painted ceiling preserved.
2e quart du XVIIe siècle
Mannerist renovation
Mannerist renovation 2e quart du XVIIe siècle (≈ 1737)
Courtyard and staircase through Levesville.
26 octobre 2023
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 26 octobre 2023 (≈ 2023)
Protection of facades and interior decorations.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
All the facades and roofs, the fronts on the courtyard, the manerist gate and the stairwell, the ground floor room with its painted ceiling and wall coverings, of the Hotel de Farges, on plot 91 of the HS section, as delimited in red on the plan annexed to the decree: inscription by order of 26 October 2023
Key figures
Bernard de Farges - Sponsor (17th century)
Adviser to the Chamber of Accounts.
Simon Levesville - Architect (circa 1630)
Author of the Mannerist Court.
Origin and history
The Hotel de Farges is a private hotel located at 1 rue Ranchin in Montpellier, in the department of l'Hérault (Occitanie). Its origins date back to the 2nd half of the 13th century, as evidenced by a painted ceiling discovered in a room on the ground floor, rare medieval vestige preserved in the city. This decoration, recently revealed, illustrates the early architectural importance of the building, well before its subsequent transformations.
In the 2nd quarter of the 17th century, the hotel was profoundly redesigned for Bernard de Farges, a member of the Chamber of Accounts. The inner courtyard and its open manerist staircase (1630) are attributed to Orléan architect Simon Levesville, one of the most remarkable achievements of this period in Montpellier. The portal and stairwell, typical of the style of the period, highlight the social prestige of its sponsor.
Ranked as a Historic Monument since October 26, 2023, the Farges hotel today protects a coherent set: facades, roofs, the manerist gate, the stairwell, and especially the medieval room with its painted ceiling and wall coverings. These elements, delimited on the cadastral plane, bear witness to almost four centuries of Montpellieran architectural history, from Gothic beginnings to classical fascists.
Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) also mention a precise location (Insee code 34172) and a Creative Commons license for associated visuals. However, no information is provided on its current access to the public, its contemporary vocation (housing, cultural place) or any recent developments.
