Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Baschy-du-Cayla hotel, located 1 rue Embouque-d Its street façade, adorned with a door in the middle of a hanger framed with windows and surmounted by a wrought iron balcony attributed to Bougues, is part of the architectural style of the 18th century. The low arched bays, with carved keys, and the porch with its hollowed-out staircase – equipped with openings probably intended for a flat lift – bear witness to its functional elegance. The courtyard, framed by two vestibules, leads to contrasting interior facades: one, decorated with ionic and Corinthian pilasters and crowned with one pediment, faces another, devoid of these elements.

The hotel has undergone several protection campaigns in respect of historical monuments: a first inscription in 1944 (facade, roof, porch and staircase), extended in 1990 (façades sur cours, garden, large staircase and dining room at the gypseries), and then an integral protection in 2018. Acquired by the city of Montpellier in the 1970s, the building housed until 2025 a recreation centre and a municipal crèche, before being closed due to the presence of lead. As a communal property, he must now undergo important work.

The history of the hotel dates back to 1636, when Bertrand Delane, a mason, raised a building for Philippe de Maussac. In 1755 François Baschy du Cayla, lieutenant, had the facade recast and aligned, giving the place its present appearance. The back garden, with its ground floor apartment opening onto the exteriors, completes this quadrilateral composition typical of Montpellieran private hotels. The protected elements also include the dining room gypseries, reflecting the refinement of the interiors of the era.

Among the historical monuments of Montpellier, the Baschy-du-Cayla Hotel illustrates the architectural evolution of the city, between medieval heritage (scenes) and 18th-century innovations (classical pillars, pediment). Its recent closure marks a turning point in its history, with an uncertain future despite its heritage status. The references to Mérimée and Structurae, as well as its precise address (1 rue Embouque-d.

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