Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Boyer Hotel in Eguilles, located at 6 rue Espariat in Aix-en-Provence, is a private hotel built in two major phases: the first quarter of the seventeenth century and the first half of the eighteenth century. Its construction was initiated by Madeleine de Forbin d'Oppede, widow of Vincent Boyer d'Eguilles, councillor in the parliament of Aix. The building adopts a traditional U-shaped plan, with a central body with colossal facade, long wrongly attributed to Pierre Puget. The lateral wings, although intended for an identical decor, remained unfinished in the 17th century.

Between 1672 and 1675 Jean-Baptiste de Boyer d'Éguilles, son of Vincent, entrusted architect Louis Jaubert with the renovation of the central body. The latter designed a five-span facade and a bold semi-oval flight staircase, with a wrought iron ramp made in 1678 by Pierre Cachou. The first floor housed three rooms with ceilings painted in the 1680s, including a parade room decorated in 1682. The large living room on the ground floor, now gone, was decorated with a ceiling painted by Sébastien Barras, inspired by the Barberini Palace of Rome, and exhibited a collection of paintings by masters (Raphaël, Titian, Rubens...).

In the 18th century, the hotel underwent renovations, including the central gate in 1715 and 1750. After the banishment of Alexander Jean-Baptiste de Boyer in 1763, the building remained empty for ten years. In the 20th century, it was transformed into a pasta factory, losing some of its decorations, before sheltering the Museum of Natural History from 1950 to 2014. Ranked a historic monument in 1988 for its hotel, courtyards and roof, it is now partially occupied by shops after a renovation led by a real estate group since 2010.

The hotel is distinguished by its interior decor designed by Jean-Baptiste Boyer d'Eguilles, including paints and a staircase ramp signed Pierre Cachou. Its history reflects the fascists of the Aixese aristocracy, between artistic patronage and heritage decline. The engravings by Jacques Coelemans and Sébastien Barras, published in 1709 and 1744, bear witness to the richness of his now dispersed pictorial collection.

Successive property of noble families, industrialists and associations, the Boyer d'Eguilles Hotel illustrates the social and economic changes of Aix-en-Provence, from 17th century parliamentarians to contemporary preservation issues. Its classification in 1988 and subsequent restorations underline its importance in the Provencal architectural heritage.

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