Initial construction XIIe–XIIIe siècles (≈ 1350)
Two tower houses built for nobles or bourgeois.
1563
Adding screw staircase
Adding screw staircase 1563 (≈ 1563)
Meeting of the two towers and interior fittings.
1767
City acquisition
City acquisition 1767 (≈ 1767)
Becoming a town hall until 1947.
1978
Discovery of paintings
Discovery of paintings 1978 (≈ 1978)
13th century Fresques updated.
4 janvier 1993
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 4 janvier 1993 (≈ 1993)
Official heritage registration.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
House (Box AP 159): Registration by order of 4 January 1993
Key figures
Louis Gonin - Owner in the 16th century
Commander of the staircase with screws in 1563.
Pierre Mompar - Notary owner in 1670
House associated with his name later.
Consuls de Viviers - Acquirers in 1767
Turn the house into a city hall.
Origin and history
The Mompar House, also known as the Lestrade Hotel, is a medieval residence in Viviers (Ardèche), in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Built between the 12th and 13th centuries, it initially consists of two independent tower houses, built for nobles or bourgeois. These towers, connected to the sixteenth century by a staircase with screws (dated 1563), form a remarkable architectural ensemble, with sill windows and traces of medieval crosses. The façade on the Place de la République, former Place du Marché, was redesigned in the 18th century after its acquisition by the consuls of Viviers in 1767.
The house housed the town hall of Viviers for nearly two centuries, until 1947. Its interior preserves an exceptional set of murals, made around 1290–1305, illustrating the parable of the Prodigal Child—a rarity for the time, where this theme was mainly carved. These frescoes, organized in rectangular paintings between decorative strips, were discovered in 1978 in a room on the first floor. The house, classified as a historical monument in 1993, thus bears witness to the architectural and artistic evolution of Viviers, from medieval times to modern times.
Major changes include the addition of the 1563 screw staircase for Louis Gonin, interior modifications in 1856, and exterior fittings in the 18th century, such as a forged iron Louis XV balcony. After losing its municipal function in 1947, the house is now a private heritage, preserving medieval elements (twined windows, capitals) and unique painted decorations. Its history also reflects its central role in the civic life of Viviers, between aristocratic residence and place of communal power.
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