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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Girard-Bureau Hotel, also known as the Écuyers Hotel, is an emblematic building of the Kenyan heritage. Located at 42 Rue Écuyère, in the old town centre, it is close to two historic churches: 100 metres north of the old Étienne-le-Vieux church and 300 metres east of the Saint-Étienne church. This position reflects its importance in the medieval urban fabric of Caen, marked by a high concentration of religious and civil monuments.

This private hotel, partially built in the 15th century, bears the name of Girard Bureau, the first Viscount of Caen after the takeover of the English city by Charles VII. This character illustrates Caen's strategic importance during the Hundred Years War, during which time the city changed hands several times between French and English. The building, though deeply transformed over the centuries, retains original elements such as a well and a Gothic window in its inner courtyard.

The street façade of the Girard-Bureau hotel was listed as the Historic Monuments on 13 June 1927. This heritage protection underscores the architectural and historical value of the building, despite the changes experienced over the centuries. Today, it reflects both medieval civil architecture and urban transformations that have marked Caen since the 15th century.

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