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Origin and history

The city hall of Riom, originally called Hotel de Ceriers or Hotel Frétat, is an aristocratic residence built between the late Middle Ages and the eighteenth century. Its construction began between 1521 and 1526 under the impetus of Amable de Cériers and his wife Jeanne Robertet, from influential families in Auvergne. The Renaissance-style building is organized around an inner courtyard bordered by an arcade gallery, inspired by Italian models. The still visible armorial shields attest to the patronage of the Ceriers, a family that provided consuls in Riom and officers on the senechal of Auvergne.

In the 17th century, the hotel passed into the hands of the family of Frétat, who changed the main façade on the street. In 1721, the city was acquired to house the intendant of Auvergne, leading to major changes: the west and north elevations were rebuilt, and the galleries closed by bay windows. The building became a town hall in the 19th century, after notable restorations in 1862 (for the visit of Napoleon III) and in 1910 under the auspices of Mayor Stephen Clementel, then Minister of State. The courtyard now houses the monument to the dead (Rodin's bronze, Gallia Victrix), as well as a 1923 statue, The Kiss of Glory.

Ranked a historic monument in 1908, the building preserves remarkable elements such as a enamelled lava plaque reproducing the letter of Jeanne d'Arc to the Riomois (1429), or d'ogives and ridges in the galleries. Architectural analyses confirm an initial campaign (1508–26) linked to Amable de Cériers, whose nobility was rehabilitated by François I in 1527. The links with the court of France – via Florimond Robertet, uncle of Jeanne Robertet and secretary of three kings – underline the political importance of the family.

The restorations of the 20th century made it possible to find partially the original aspect of the galleries, while the Jeanne d'Arc Museum (created in 1922) was installed there until its transfer in 1983. Four armored caps of sponsors, probably from the early façade, are now preserved at the Mandet Museum. The hotel thus illustrates the evolution of a private residence instead of municipal power, while at the same time showing artistic exchanges between Auvergne and Italy during the Renaissance.

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