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Origin and history

The prefecture hotel of Haute Savoie, now known as the Conservatoire d'Art et d'Histoire, was built in Annecy between 1862 and 1866 to welcome the departmental institutions after the annexation of Savoie to France in 1860. Unlike the prefecture of Savoie in the former Dukes' Castle in Chambéry, that of Haute-Savoie required the construction of a new building on a two-hectare plot along avenue d'Albigny, traced in 1822 and lined with plane trees planted in 1808. The Lyon architect Léon Charvet (or Etienne Charvet according to the sources) opted for a Louis XIII style inspired by the private hotels of the Ancien Régime, avoiding the Second Empire style then dominant.

The H-shaped building is 46 metres wide by 44 metres deep, with a white lime-covered stone construction and Seyssel stone angles. The rear façade overlooks a 1.7 hectare park designed by Charvet, while the entrance is marked by a ironwork gate and two brick and stone pavilions. Each facade, although symmetrical, has variations in medallions, cornices and openings. The central body, flanked by two wings, frames a court of honour typical of French architecture.

As early as 1866, the building jointly housed the prefecture and the departmental council, becoming an administrative symbol of the new territorial organization. Prefect Joseph Ferrand (1861-1866) was the first to occupy the site. Owned by the department, the building was listed as a historical monument on 17 March 2022, protecting the hotel, its park, the entrance pavilions and the gate. Today, it also hosts the Conservatory of Art and History, valuing its architectural and historical heritage.

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