Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Buson d'Auxon hotel, located at 5 rue des Granges in the historical area of La Boucle in Besançon, is an emblematic example of Renaissance civil architecture. Built between the late 16th and early 17th centuries, it is distinguished by its stone façade, its doric and ionic pilasters, as well as by a cartridge bearing the Latin motto Aut perfice, aut ne tentes ("Complete or does not begin"). Originally, this cartridge was accompanied by the coat of arms of the Buson, hammered during the French Revolution. The building, organized around a central courtyard, rests on a vaulted basement in a cradle and preserves two coach passages enfilade.

The hotel was built for Claude-Antoine Buson, seigneur of Auxon, co-governor of Besançon between 1594 and 1621, then councillor in the parliament of Dole. The property changed hands in the 18th and 19th centuries, passing in particular to the Masson d'Anthume and d'Udressier families, the latter having an influential doctor and naturalist. In the 19th century, the ground floor was transformed into shops, partially altering its original appearance, although interior elements (Louis XV window, stone fireplace) remained in one of them until the 1930s. The street façade and its roof were classified as historical monuments in 1937.

The attribution of the carved decoration to Hugues le Rupt, often mentioned, remains hypothetical for lack of tangible evidence. The rear buildings, visible on the 1833 cadastre, have since disappeared, while a subsequent commercial extension has partly congested the central courtyard. In the 21st century, some original openings were restored to the façade. The hotel thus illustrates the urban and architectural changes of Besançon, between Renaissance heritage and modern adaptations.

External links