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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The House of the Chapter of Billom, built in the 15th century, is a remarkable example of medieval civil architecture in Auvergne. Its name suggests a link with the neighbouring collegiate Saint-Cerneuf, although its exact function remains uncertain. The facade, made of arcose stone, presents a door in a braided lintel surmounted by a broken arch, accompanied by three windows ground in a braid on the floors. The old carpentry and the arch vault on the cellar bear witness to constructive techniques of the time.

Originally, the house probably had a shop on the ground floor, as evidenced by the two arched bays in basket coves, one of which was restored or reused. The central screw staircase, typical of the 15th century, distributed the rooms and opened directly on the square, illuminated by the windows of the central span. An original chimney remains on the ground floor, while the north elevation has retained its medieval character. Interior transformations in the 18th century, such as the addition of a straight staircase between the cellar and the ground floor, partially changed its structure.

Ranked a historic monument on 26 June 1923 for its façade and roof, the house was restored in 1926, following a report by architect Ruprich-Robert. In 1925 he stressed the need for major repairs, particularly on the ground floor. Its present state thus reflects both its medieval heritage and subsequent interventions, while remaining a rare testimony of Billom's urban habitat at the end of the Middle Ages.

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