Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel de Choiseul is a private hotel located in the Old Towers, at 21 rue Briçonnet, at the corner of Rue des Cerisiers. Built in 1733 or 1734 for Jean Soulas-Girollet the elder, a merchant-manufacturing tourangeau, it replaces earlier buildings of the 15th century and houses acquired between 1719 and 1733. The hotel preserves remains of these buildings, including a bay decorated with Renaissance motifs. Its west facade, crowned with a triangular pediment, and its carved wooden ramp staircase, illustrate the classic 18th century style.

The hotel is associated with several local historical figures. Jean Soulas-Girollet, his first owner, died there in 1772, leaving the property to his son Jean-Noël Soulas, president-treasurer of France, and to his daughter Marie-Anne Soulas, wife of Baron de Lary. In 1772, François Cartier-Roze, another merchant-manufacturer, became the owner for 20,000 pounds. The Duke of Choiseul, governor of Touraine, stayed there between 1771 and 1774 during his exile in Chanteloup. The hotel has been partially protected since 1946, including its facade, roofs, staircase, and first floor woodwork.

The building reflects the influence of merchants-manufacturers in the 18th century tourist planning. These traders, often linked to the silk industry such as Soulas or Cartier, mark the city with their private hotels. The hotel of Choiseul, with its 19th century communes and half-moon courtyard, bears witness to this economic prosperity. The painted woodwork and carved wooden fireplaces on the first floor recall the discreet luxury of the merchant bourgeoisie of the time.

Historical sources, such as the notes by Édouard Gatian de Clérambault (1907), highlight its heritage importance. Listed as historical monuments for its remarkable architectural elements, the hotel is now owned by an association. Its state of conservation and its openness to the public (visits, rentals) are not specified in the available sources.

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