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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Banville hotel is a private hotel located in the old town centre of Caen, between Jean-Eudes Street and the old Grand Odon bed, a river now covered. This district, set in the 17th century around the present Place de la République, concentrates several historic buildings. The hotel, built in the 18th century, is distinguished by its L-shaped plan, with a main wing on the main courtyard and a wing along the street. Originally, it was attached to the Hotel de Boislambert, destroyed during the piercing of Paul Doumer Street in the 1930s, which exposed its gable wall.

In 1842, the hotel became the property of the Counts of Landal following the marriage of Mathilde de Banville de La Londe with Louis Charles du Breil de Landal. In the 19th century, it houses the boarding school Notre-Dame, in connection with the proximity of the church Notre-Dame-de-la-Gloriette. During the Battle of Caen in 1944, the hotel escapes the destructions that affect neighbouring buildings, such as the seminar of the Eudists. In 1980, it was listed as a historical monument for its facades, roofs, wrought iron gate and several interior rooms (library, living room, bedroom) decorated with panelling.

Acquired by the State, the hotel welcomes the management of cultural affairs before being sold in 1998 to the manager of the Paul Doumer centre, located on the other side of the driveway. Its stone architecture of Caen, typical of the region, and its portal decorated with two stone flowerpots (restored in 2017) make it a remarkable example of the civil heritage of the country. The protected elements also include the wrought iron gate of the gate and the interior decorations of the first floor, witnesses to its past prestige.

The location of the hotel, at 20-22 rue Jean-Eudes, makes it a witness to the urban transformations of Caen, notably with the disappearance of the Grand Odon and the creation of Rue Paul-Doumer. Its inscription in the title of historical monuments underlines its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its history linked to local aristocracy and religious education in the nineteenth century.

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