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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel de Fontfroide is an emblematic civil building in Nîmes, located in the Gard department, in the Occitanie region (formerly Languedoc-Roussillon). Built in the 16th century, it is distinguished by its architecture combining Renaissance and classical influences. It has been a historical monument since 1949 and owes its reputation to its monumental staircase, a central element of its court of honour, as well as to its history linked to the local elites of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Located at 14 rue de l'Aspic, in the former shopping district of Garrigues, the hotel reflects the urbanization of Nîmes in modern times. Its location, now in the city centre, reflects its past role in the economic and social life of the city, between aristocratic habitat and commercial activity.

In 1670, the hotel was transformed for Pierre de Fontfroide, the financial controller, who added a staircase attributed to Jacques Cubizol, a master contractor who had also worked at the town hall. This staircase, of Louis XIII style, is characterized by a nucleus broken into four columns and stone balusters, an architectural rarity for the region. Its innovative structure, with bearings supported by arches and consoles, serves two floors and opens onto a courtyard.

In 1695, the hotel, then in poor condition, was acquired by Jacques Mourier, a silk merchant. The latter must step back and rebuild the facade to comply with the new urban alignment rules. These changes illustrate the tensions between the old heritage and the modernisation of the city, while revealing the adaptation of the buildings to the commercial needs of the time.

The staircase, classified in 1949, remains the only protected element of the monument. Its preservation underlines the importance attached to the interior decorations of private hotels, often more worked than their facades. Today, the Hotel de Fontfroide embodies both the architectural heritage of Nîmes and the changes in its urban fabric between Renaissance and classical times.

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