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Origin and history

The Hôtel de Chapelaines, built in the 2nd quarter of the 16th century in Troyes, occupies a plot historically linked to artisanal activities (bouchers, dyers, drapiers) since the 13th century. Prior to its construction, the site housed outbuildings of the abbeys of Clairvaux and Notre-Dame des Prés, as well as a "house of Clairvaux" mentioned in the twelfth century. In 1470, the land was rented by emphyteotic lease to Pierre Largentier, dyer, and then passed on to his son Nicolas Largentier (II) in 1487. The great fire of Troyes in 1524 allowed the conversion of leases into perpetual sale, leading to the construction of the stone hotel by Nicolas Largentier (II).

The hotel, called "Grand hôtel de Clairvaux" in 1535, was completed around 1536 under Nicolas Largentier (V), who undertook to finalize the works with the abbey. After his death, his son Nicolas Largentier (VI) (1560–10), Baron de Chapelaines, enriched the family by serving Henry IV against the League. Piled in 1586 by Protestant trades, the hotel is compensated by a royal donation of 20,000 pounds. In 1597, Nicolas (VI) acquired the land of Chapelaines and renamed the hotel accordingly. His heir, Louis Largentier (1581–39), ruined by experiments of alchemy, sold the building in 1642.

The hotel then passes into the hands of several families: the de La Fertey, the Camusat de Riancey, and the Paillot in the 18th century. Elizabeth-Louise de Loynes, wife of Victor Paillot (mayor of Troyes and deputy), received Emperor Francis I of Austria in 1814 during the negotiations against Napoleon. In 1853, the Renaissance fireplace (dated 1541) was transferred to the Musée Saint-Loup. The facade and cover have been classified as historical monuments since 16 June 1926.

Architecturally, the facade features carved windows, pilasters, triangular frontons and a Renaissance balustrade, with monumental gargoyles. A Renaissance niche adorns the southwest corner. The interior, partially modified in the 19th century, preserves traces of its past prestige, as evidenced by the visits of Louis XIII in 1629 and the European sovereigns in 1814.

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