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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Hotel de Brémond d'Ars is an iconic monument located in Saintes, Charente-Maritime, whose origins date back to the 16th century. The oldest part, built in 1572, was commissioned by Dominique du Bourg, adviser to Kings Henry III and Henry IV. This house body, in large apparatus and surmounted by skylights, bears witness to Renaissance architecture with a characteristic door of the late 16th century. The building, looted during the Revolution, partially preserved its original woodwork.

In the 18th century, the hotel was enlarged and remodeled, incorporating stylistic elements of the era: curved lintels, small wooden windows, fronted doors and typical lights of the Enlightenment century. Although the large work may date back to an earlier period, the holes and interior decoration – such as the two 18th century fireplaces and a wrought iron ramp style Louis XV – reflect this architectural evolution. The ensemble consists of a house body with garden, a wing on Martineau Street forming a courtyard, and a service wing isolating this yard from the garden.

Ranked a historic monument in 1967 for its facades and roofs, the Hotel de Brémond d'Ars illustrates the transition between Renaissance and classicism. Its address, 17-21 rue Martineau and 23 rue des Jacobins, makes it a heritage landmark in downtown Saintes. The protections specifically concern the external elements (cadastre K 424, 424p, 425, 434p), thus preserving a major testimony of local urban history.

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