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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Hotel Belin de Béru, or Hotel Desportes de Linières, is a private hotel from the mid-18th century (1760 precisely), located at 9 rue des Boucheries au Mans, in the Halles district. Escaped from the destruction of successive urban operations (such as those of the Daughters-God or the Place de l'Eperon), he was for a long time abandoned despite his early ranking. Piled with its woodwork, fireplaces and parquet floors, it was invaded by the ivy before being restored in the 1980s by its owner and architect of the Bâtiments de France, thus regaining its original fascist. The building is distinguished by its irregular plan in quadrilateral, its southern facade once overlooking a garden, and its history linked to the local nobility.

The hotel architecture reflects the Louis XV style, with three levels of regular bays. The main façade, facing south, features six broken arched window doors connected by a blindfold, while the first floor features wrought iron railing windows adorned with DLL initials (Deportes de Linières and his wife, Miss Leprince). The lintels sculpted with palms and masks, the mansarded dormers in cut stone, and the tufted cornices complete this elegant ensemble. The northern facade, reserved for domestics, is more sober, with russard stone bays and wooden skylights. The restoration removed the gutter to preserve the harmony of the lines.

Inside, the hotel organizes its spaces in four large lounges on the south side and four service rooms on the north, with a basement. The fine panels, Italian ceilings with mouldings and roses, and the Louis XV lounge (with a marble fireplace and a stucco tromeau adorned with roses and dacanthe leaves) bear witness to its past luxury. This living room, the most damaged by looting, enjoyed generous lighting thanks to two windows. The kitchen, with its stone stove and sink, as well as the offices and stairwell, complete this typical layout of the mansions of the period.

Ranked a two-stage historic monument (1975 for facades, roofs, staircases and interior rooms; 2015 for additional elements), the Belin de Béru hotel embodies the mancelle architectural heritage. Its location at the top of the Place de l'Eperon, alongside the old salt attic and Gallo-Roman remains, makes it a witness to the historical strata of the city. The restorations of the 1980s saved its interior and exterior decorations, while revealing details such as the initials of the original owners.

Historical sources, including the Bulletin de la Société d'Agriculture, Sciences et Arts de la Sarthe (1987) and the archives of Maine Découvertes, underline its importance in the urban planning of Le Mans. The hotel also illustrates the challenges of heritage preservation, between neglect and renaissance, while offering a rare example of 18th century civil architecture in the region. Its rosé white façade, open railings and wrought iron staircase make it today a jewel of the city centre.

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