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Origin and history

The Alvizet Hotel, also known as the Alviset Hotel, is a private hotel located in Besançon, at the corner of the Martelots and Péclet streets, in the historic district of La Boucle. Built between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, it is distinguished by its L-shaped plan, its masonry staircase with ironwork ramp, and its 17th century courtyard facades. The garden, furnished with terraces, dates back to the early 17th century and is included in the inventory of remarkable gardens of the Ministry of Culture.

The hotel owes its present form to the meeting of three adjoining houses acquired in 1688 by the Count of Scey. In 1700 the Count sold it to Jean-François de Santans, archdeacon, and Hilaire-Joseph Duban. In the 18th century, the building underwent major changes: the destruction of walls, the addition of ironworks (such as the six ventrues protecting the windows of Rue des Martelots), and the digging of new doors. In 1765, it was bought by Jean-Baptiste-François Maire de Bouligney, who brought interior decorations in Louis XVI style. The Alviset family became its owner in 1804.

The park, separated from the courtyard by a iron gate, consists of two vertical levels and a greenhouse of coated material. In 1774, a pedestrian door was pierced to connect the hotel with an adjacent house. Before 1833, the park was enlarged and the gate moved to expand the courtyard. Although listed as a historic monument in 2009 with its garden, an English-language park project proposed in 1860 by landscape architect Philippe Michel will never see the light of day.

The hotel preserves remarkable architectural elements, such as a vaulted cellar in a cradle, an honor staircase with ironwork ramp, and ancillary buildings ( stables, stakes, sheds). The facades on the rue des Martelots, dating from the late 16th or early 17th century, testify to its evolution throughout the centuries. The whole, including the garden, has been fully protected since 2009.

Its history reflects the urban and social transformations of Besançon, marked by noble families (Scey, Santans, Duban, Mayor of Bouliney, Alviset) who successfully shaped its appearance. The interiors of the 18th and 19th centuries, such as the Louis XVI decorations or the expansion of the park, illustrate the hotel's adaptation to the tastes and needs of its owners.

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