Hotel de La Ronade dans le Cantal

Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Hotel de La Ronade is a medieval urban residence located in the village of Salers, in the Cantal (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). Built in 1356 on three levels, it is distinguished by its finely cut andesite facade and a small staircase turret. This building, owned by the André de La Ronade family, housed several generations of influential magistrates at the bailliage of Salers. He is also known for his appearance in the film The City of Indescribable Fear (Jean-Pierre Mocky). Its northern façade was restored in June 2019.

The André de La Ronade family, which emerged from the union in 1336 between the Ronat and André lines, marked local history. Its members have held prestigious judicial positions, such as that of baili or lieutenant general. Anoblis in 1582 by Henry II for services rendered during the wars of religion, they perpetuated their influence until the eighteenth century, with figures like John André de La Ronade, author of the custom of Salers, or Antoine Ignace, colonel died in 1773.

The monument had a touristic vocation until 2014, with guest rooms and a tea room animated by local history enthusiasts such as Philippe Garrigue and Jean-Pierre Lagane. These activities ceased after their death, ending public visits. Today, the Hotel de La Ronade, although closed, remains a symbol of the architectural and family heritage of Salers, classified among the historical monuments of the Cantal.

The arms of the André de La Ronade family — d'azur with silver chevron accompanied by two flanks and a golden sun — illustrate their noble status. Their genealogy, documented since the fourteenth century, reveals alliances with local families (Durfort, Ribier) and military or judicial careers. The descendants gradually extinguished, with branches emigrated or victims of the Revolution, like Marguerite de Tournier, guillotined in 1794 for his support of the royalists.

The building embodies Salers' social history, where the urban homes of powerful families served as both a residence and a place of power. Its construction in Andesite, a local volcanic stone, reflects regional resources and know-how. The staircase turret, typical of medieval architecture, emphasizes its defensive and prestigious role in a then prosperous village, marked by commerce and seigneurial administration.

Since 2019, the Hotel de La Ronade is no longer accessible, but its legacy continues through the archives and works of local historians, such as those of Philippe Garrigue. The bibliographical references, including the Nobiliary of Auvergne or the research of Abbé Aymar, attest to its importance in the study of auvergne nobility and medieval urbanism.

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