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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former canonical house of the cloister of Sainte-Croix d'Orléans, built in the first half of the 16th century, is an architectural testimony of the first Renaissance in Orléan. Today it consists of two houses: one overlooking the street, the other organised between courtyard and garden. The latter, erected between 1525 and 1530, has frames of bays decorated with flower-composite pilasters, as well as carved ceilings reflecting the influence of italianism. These decorative motifs (shell friezes, ribbons, pearl necklaces) recall those appeared in Touraine from 1505-1510, illustrating their progressive spread in the region.

Occupied by canons until its sale as a national property in 1791, this Claustral House underwent major changes between the 17th and 19th centuries: repair of the structure, modification of the slope of the roof, piercing of new bays, and loss of its original staircase, probably outside. Despite these alterations, its ceilings on both levels kept their old solving, offering an almost intact decorative repertoire. Undocumented before the Revolution, it remains one of the few houses preserved in the Sainte-Croix district.

At the end of the 19th century, the house belonged to historian Louis-Modeste Jarry, a local figure known for his work on Orléans. Partially classified as historical monuments in 1989 (facades on courtyard and garden, carved ceilings), it now embodies a rare heritage, mixing religious heritage and Italian artistic influence. His interest lies as much in his architecture as in his role as a witness to urban and cultural change in the city.

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