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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house of Cardinal Jouffroy is a mansion located in Luxeuil-les-Bains, along the main street, near the Saint-Nicolas gate. It owes its name to Jean Jouffroy, Abbé de Luxeuil, Bishop of Arras and then of Albi, and Cardinal. Built in stone and sandstone, it has architectural similarities with other buildings of the Jouffroy family, such as the Thiadot Hotel and the Tour des échevins. His exact identity of the builder remains uncertain, but he could be Perrin Jouffroy (father of the cardinal), his brother Henri, or Jean Jouffroy himself.

Originally, the hotel probably had a U-shaped plan, with a garden opening onto the ramparts. Its facade is marked by a monumental balcony, supported by nine crows with remarkable sculptures, including a vault key representing three rabbits bound by three ears. In the middle of the 16th century, Henri Jouffroy, the cardinal's nephew, enlarged the house southward, adding a scallop and Renaissance decoration. The building underwent transformations in the 17th and 18th centuries, notably after the earthquake of 1682.

Ranked a historic monument in 1921, the house was restored by Marcel Texier before being acquired by the town of Luxeuil-les-Bains, which installed the tourist office there. In 2017, it was sold to a family that owned several castles in France. Its history reflects the influence of the Jouffroy family, marked by ecclesiastical figures and local notables.

Successive owners include the Goffinet, Saint-Mauris, and Fraissignes families, as well as personalities such as François Rance, auditor in the Chamber of Accounts, and Étienne Laborey, lawyer. These hand changes illustrate the social and economic evolution of Luxeuil-les-Bains, a spa and religious town since the Middle Ages.

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