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Origin and history

The Lillebonne hotel is a Renaissance mansion built in 1580 in Nancy by architect Nicolas La Hiere for Claude de Beauvau-Craon, Sire de Beauvau. It replaces the old "Municipal Oven House", a public bath certified in 1531, which Duke Charles III authorized to sell in 1578. This Italian-style building reflects the period's nean fashion, with a facade decorated with ionic columns, carved frontons and floral motifs.

Upon the death of Claude de Beauvau in 1597, the hotel passed to his grandson Henri I, who sold him in 1621 to the Duke Henri II of Lorraine. The latter offered to his natural son Henri de Bainville, before he was exchanged and then occupied by Charles de Briey, another illegitimate son of the Duke, giving the hotel the name of a hotel in Malta. Between 1633 and 1663, during the French occupation of Nancy, his history became blurred.

In 1665 Anne de Lorraine and her husband François-Marie, Prince of Lillebonne, briefly settled there before a new French occupation. The name Hotel de Lillebonne appeared in 1750. In the 19th century, it was acquired by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, becoming part of the House of Providence, dedicated to social works. Since 1972, it has been home to the MJC Lillebonne-Saint-Epvre and a contemporary art gallery.

The hotel is distinguished by its stone Renaissance staircase, its carved ceilings and its well decorated with a volute pediment. Ranked historic monument in 1944 for its facade, roof and well, it embodies the architectural heritage of Lorraine. Its gate, framed by olive leaf columns, and its broken fronton windows illustrate the refinement of the era.

In the 20th century, the hotel also served as the setting for Philippe Claudel's All the Suns movie. Today, it combines heritage and cultural life, hosting exhibitions, conferences and associative activities, while preserving its original elements, such as the 19th century chapel or carved stone gargoyles.

Its history reflects the political upheavals of Lorraine, from the Dukes of Lorraine to the French annexation, through its social role under the Vincentian sisters. The Lillebonne hotel remains a major testimony of Renaissance civil architecture in Nancy, alongside the Ducal Palace and the Haussonville hotel.

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