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Origin and history

The Hotel Pétremand de Valay, also known as Hotel de Valay, is a private hotel built in the 2nd quarter of the 18th century in Besançon, Doubs department. Commanded by the Pétremand family of Valay, it was erected in 1774 by the bisontin architect Claude-Antoine Colombot on a plot acquired from the Benedictines of Saint Vincent Abbey. The building adopts a "U" plan typical of aristocratic hotels, with a court of honor and a garden, framed by two pavilions connected by a wrought iron grid added in the 19th century.

In 1833, the writer Honoré de Balzac, passing through Besançon, inspired by the hotel to describe the home of Mademoiselle de Watteville in his novel Albert Savarus (published in 1842). The building changed its vocation in 1849 when it was bought by the Banque de France, which established a branch there. Extensions are added to the park side in the 20th century (1910 and 1980), but the original decor – staircase, living room, fireplaces, and doortop – is preserved.

The hotel was partially protected as early as 1927 (façade and woodwork), then registered at the Historic Monuments in 2011 for its architectural and decorative major elements: facades, roofs, painted dome vestibule (1850), large 18th century staircase, lounge-counsel, and park. The Bank of France still owns it today, perpetuating its institutional use while maintaining its historical heritage.

The neoclassical facade, decorated with doric columns and a triangular pediment, contrasts with the sobriety of the rear wing. Inside, the director's office (sixteenth century) and the two 18th century chimneys bear witness to the stylistic evolution of the building. The park, endowed with rare plant species, completes this set of aristocratic heritage and modern banking functions.

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