Adoption of the outline fin 1946 (≈ 1946)
Reconstruction plan by Auguste Perret.
9 juin 2016
Partial MH registration
Partial MH registration 9 juin 2016 (≈ 2016)
Coffee *In Caïd* and island elements.
2 octobre 2017
Full MH classification
Full MH classification 2 octobre 2017 (≈ 2017)
Façades, roofs, witness apartments and common areas.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Registered MH on June 9, 2016. The ISAI (Individual Buildings Without Assignment) estate, called "island V40 and V41", Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, consisting of the islet V40, place 1 to 11 place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 181 to 195 rue de Paris, 119 to 127 rue Victor Hugo and 16 to 26 rue Robert de la Villehervé (Box JA 7); and the islet V 41, place 15 to 27 place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 104 rue Paul Doumer, 101 to 117 rue Victor Hugo and 13 to 25 rue Robert de la Villehervé (Box JA 8); the café "Au Caïd", commercial premises n°218, on the ground floor of the islet V40, 123 rue Victor Hugo, according to plan annexed to the decree: inscription by order of 9 June 2016. The ISAI real estate complex called "island V 40 and V 41", located Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville for the following parts: the facades and roof terraces as a whole, the common parts: stairs, steps, courtyards with their grids, all common facilities including heating facilities, apartment n°78 on the 1st floor of the part called V 40, 5 place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville or apartment-control in its entirety, apartment n°515 on the 3rd floor of the part called V 41, 21 place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville in its entirety, This set is located: for the part called "V 40", located 1 to 11 place of the Hôtel-de-Ville, 181 to 195 rue de Paris, 119 to 127 rue Victor-Hugo and 16 to 26 rue Robert-de-la-Villehervé (cad. JA 7), for the part called "V 41", located 15 to 27 place of the Hôtel-de-Ville, 104 rue Paul-Doumer, 101 to 117 rue Victor-Hugo and 13 to 25 rue Robert-de-la-Villehervé (cad. JA 8). The right-of-way of the property complex appears on the plan annexed to the order (cad. JA 7, 8): classification by order of 2 October 2017
Key figures
Auguste Perret - Chief Architect
Author of the reconstruction plan.
Origin and history
The ISAI estate, called islets V40 and V41, was built in the 20th century as part of the reconstruction of Havre after the Second World War. The general plan, adopted at the end of 1946 under the responsibility of architect Auguste Perret, made these islands an experimental laboratory for a new urban doctrine. Located south of the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, they served as a model for the urban frame, the constructive processes and the alternation between buildings in bars and towers, with an apparent concrete frame and roof terraces.
These buildings without immediate assignment (IAI) were among the first built in the city, marking a founding stage in large-scale reconstruction. Their design reflects a desire for modernity and functionality, with common spaces (scenes, courtyards, heating equipment) and witness apartments preserved for their heritage value. The V40 islet includes addresses 1 to 11 place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, 181 to 195 rue de Paris, and other adjacent streets, while the V41 covers numbers 15 to 27 of the square and its surroundings.
The Café Au Caïd, located on the ground floor of the islet V40, has been part of the historical monuments since June 9, 2016. All the facades, roof terraces, common areas and two witness apartments (n°78 and n°515) were classified by decree of 2 October 2017, highlighting their importance in French architectural history. These protections also cover public facilities and internal courtyards, thus preserving the integrity of the original project.
The reconstruction of Le Havre, led by Auguste Perret, marked a turning point in French urban planning. The V40 and V41 islands embody this break with the past, offering innovative solutions for housing and spatial organization. Their classification as historical monuments recognizes their role in the evolution of construction techniques and their contribution to the architectural identity of the city, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site for its reconstructed centre.
Available sources, such as Élisabeth Chauvin's works (Apartments votes de la reconstruction du Havre, 2007) and Monumentum's archives, document this pivotal period. ISAI islets remain a tangible testimony of aesthetic and social choices made during reconstruction, between memory of destruction and aspiration for urban renewal.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review