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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The former hotel Rey is a private hotel located at 21 Grands Rue Jean-Moulin in Montpellier, in the department of l'Hérault. Built at the end of the seventeenth century (4th quarter), it illustrates the prestigious civil architecture of the period, with a facade on courtyard decorated with ionic and Corinthian pilasters, and a large staircase with wrought wrought iron ramps. The building, owned by the Rey family as early as 1602, was built in 1682 by the mason Antoine Arman for François de Rey, combining classical symmetry with Baroque decorations (guirland, volutes, carved capitals).

The staircase, the central element of the composition, is distinguished by its three flights per floor and its wrought iron ramp, composed of identical panels adorned with stylized urns and volutes in S. The windows of the upper floors are framed with ionic (1st floor) and Corinthian (2nd floor), while the triangular pediment crowns the ensemble. The gate and stairway date from the 18th century, however, adding a chronological stratum to the building.

Ranked a historic monument since 26 December 2012, the Hotel Rey protects its facades, roofs, staircase, courtyard and covered passage. Its architecture reflects the influence of Parisian models adapted to the Montpellieran context, where private hotels testify to the enrichment of local elites under the Ancien Régime. The protected elements also include decorative details such as sculpted heads on stair studs or frieze diglyphs.

The location of the hotel, in the historic heart of Montpellier, highlights its role in the urban fabric of the time. The Grand-Rue Jean-Moulin, a major artery, then concentrated the residences of wealthy families, often linked to trade or dress. The building, although partially modified in the 18th century, thus retains a rare stylistic consistency for a particular Languedoc hotel of this period.

Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum, Merimée base) confirm its recent listing as historical monuments, highlighting its late heritage value. The accuracy of its location is estimated to be "passable" (note 5/10), and its official address remains the 21 Great Rue Jean-Moulin, in the saved area of Montpellier.

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