Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bessonneau Hotel is a private hotel built in 1863 in Angers, in the department of Maine-et-Loire, for Édouard Thoré, a rich angelvin merchant. This building, emblematic of bourgeois architecture of the second half of the 19th century, reflects the economic prosperity of the region linked to the commercial and industrial activities of the time. Its interior decorations, especially those commissioned by Julien Bessonneau, testify to the refinement and taste for the arts of local elites.

In 1883, the industrialist Julien Bessonneau, known for his fortune in textiles, acquired the hotel and brought interior fittings, including a painting signed by Émile-Henri Laporte for the large salon. This change in ownership marks a transition in the history of the building from a merchant to an influential industrialist. The hotel retains Bessonneau's name, illustrating its legacy linked to this major figure in the local economy.

In the 20th century, the Bessonneau hotel has several uses: it houses the Caisse d'Epargne from 1958 to 1982, then becomes an annex to the Conseil départemental de Maine-et-Loire. In 1994, he was enrolled in the Historic Monuments for his interior decorations, with the exception of his courtyard façade. In 2014, it was sold to an angeline start-up, DMVP, for 1.86 million euros, marking a new stage in its history.

The architecture and decors of the Bessonneau Hotel, protected since 1994, offer a valuable testimony to the art of living of the Angelian bourgeoisie in the 19th century. Its location at 15ter boulevard du Maréchal-Foch, in the city centre, makes it a key element of Angers' urban heritage, reflecting the social and economic transformations of the region during the industrial revolution.

External links