Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Café Plana, located in Olonzac in the Hérault, is an emblematic monument of the 3rd quarter of the 19th century, more precisely around 1862, the presumed date of the layout of its Second Empire Hall. This place is characterized by a sumptuous interior decor, marked by a ceiling divided into nine boxes separated by thick beams. These caissons, decorated with circular or diamond medallions, are organized along two axes of perpendicular symmetry, creating a geometric harmony at the centre of the composition. Ornamental motifs, mainly vegetal (vine leaves, clusters, pampres, oak, laurel), are accompanied by feminine busts in pendants in the shell of losnge medallions. The set, enhanced by colours, reflects the eclectic and luxuriant aesthetic of the time.

The walls of the room are rhythmized by canned pilasters surmounted by carved consoles representing female figures in atlante, delimiting panels occupied by tables. The wall of the bottom, pierced with two doors to imposte in the middle of the hanger, features woodwork pilasters decorated with ionic capitals. This decor, typical of the Second Empire, illustrates the fascination and attention to detail that characterized the public and private places of this period. The front and the hall with its decoration were inscribed in the Historic Monuments by order of 5 December 1984, highlighting their heritage value.

The Café Plana is part of the urban landscape of Olonzac, located Place du Marché-aux-Herbes (or close by, 3 Rue Michelet according to geographical sources). Its state of conservation and its location, considered "a priori satisfactory" (note 7/10), make it a valuable testimony of the 19th century commercial architecture and sociability sites in Occitanie. The photographs available, such as that of GilPe under Creative Commons license, allow us to appreciate the richness of its interior decors, now potentially open to visits or private events.

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