Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bouctôt-Vagniez mansion, located in Amiens, was built between 1907 and 1911 for André Bouctot, an annuitant from a family in Rouanne, and his wife Marie-Louise Vagniez, heir of an Amienese dynasty enriched in textiles. The project, financed in part by the bride's dowry, is entrusted to architect Louis Duthoit, descendant of a line of local artists. The latter, free from any constraint except the integration of animals outside and floral motifs inside, designs an iconic Art Nouveau building, mixing traditional materials (stone, wood) and modern (steel, glass).

The plans, completed in 1908, resulted in three years of work (1909–1911) at a cost of one million francs gold. The hotel, with a surface area of 900 m2 spread over three levels, includes reception rooms on the ground floor, private apartments on the first floor, and guest and domestic rooms on the second floor. The interior decorations (lambria, glass paste luminaires by Daum, ironwork by Schwartz and Meurer) and the marouflé canvases by the architect's brother Adrien Duthoit make it a coherent and luxurious ensemble.

The couple left in 1936 for reasons of health, taking the furniture. During the Second World War, the hotel houses military staffs, followed by the Treasury General (1946–55) and the Museum of Natural History (until 1969). Ranked historic monument in 1994 for its building, garden and decorative elements, it was acquired in 1970 by the Chamber of Commerce of Picardie, which restored it. A contemporary extension, inaugurated in 2012, dialogue with the historic building.

In 2018, the Compagnie de Phalsbourg purchased the hotel to transform it into a palace with spa and gourmet restaurant, providing for an opening at the end of 2021 after work. This project marks a new stage for this architectural gem, symbol of Art Nouveau heritage in Hauts-de-France.

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