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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The hotel of Laudun is a mansion built in the 17th century in Aramon, in the present Occitanie region. It was built for the family of Laudun, a powerful lineage of the region, on the site of an ancient medieval building. Its architecture is distinguished by a U-shaped plan, a rare arrangement in the area and unique in Aramon, where most hotels are traditionally built with their facade directly on the street. This original configuration separates a courtyard of honor to the south and a garden to the north, around which the halls are organized. The asymmetry of the wings, with an additional stage to the east, suggests the presence of a pre-existing medieval structure on this side.

The hotel combines remarkable architectural elements, such as a polygonal tower with a screw staircase added later, and a covered gallery linking the central body to the west wing. This gallery, lined with stone balusters, is supported by a low arch harmonized with that of the entrance. Inside, the rooms on the first floor retain their original volume, with French-style ceilings and monumental chimneys with various decorations (paintings, stuccos), probably dating from the second half of the 17th century. These characteristics, as well as the quality of the finishes, demonstrate a desire to align with the Parisian standards of the time, which was exceptional in the province.

Ranked among the historical monuments since 1997, the hotel of Laudun illustrates the evolution of aristocratic dwellings in Languedoc-Roussillon. Its mix of styles — medieval for the circular fireplace and the echauguette, classic for interior decorations — reflects the architectural transitions of the period. The building, located at 3 rue de Voltaire, remains a valuable testimony of the influence of Parisian urban models in an area then dominated by more traditional constructions.

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