Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house Racle, located 53 rue Franche in Pont-de-Vaux in the department of Ain, is a unique architectural achievement of the 4th quarter of the 18th century. Built in 1785 by Léonard Racle (1736-1791), an engineer, architect and layman, it is distinguished by its "uncombustible, woodless and vaulted" design. Its originality lies in its internal structure: parallel flat vaults in bricks and plaster spread over three levels, surmounted by a fully bricked attic. This system, innovative for the time, reflects an scholarly and experimental approach to architecture.

Racle House is also remarkable for its preserved interior decoration, including a monumental staircase decorated with false marble panels and original marble clay fireplaces. Although its exterior appearance may seem massive, it is its technical design and the quality of its finishes that make it an exceptional witness to the architectural innovation of the late eighteenth century. Ranked a historical monument in 1998 for its house body and registered in 1997 for its outbuildings, it remains today the only known achievement of this type.

Leonard Racle, called to Pont-de-Vaux for the construction of a canal, designed this house as a showcase of his multidisciplinary skills. His work, preserved almost intact, illustrates both his engineering expertise and his aesthetic sense. The property, now managed by a cult association, continues to fascinate with its structural audacity and remarkable state of conservation, providing a rare glimpse of pre-revolutionary architectural experiments.

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