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Origin and history

Hotel de Raousset-Boulbon is an iconic building located in Avignon, in the department of Vaucluse, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. It is one of many private hotels that mark the city's civil architecture, testifying to its rich historical and cultural past. This hotel was built after 1769, probably by Jean-Pierre Franque, a renowned local architect, in a style inspired by the Hotel de Brancas de Rochefort, another nearby building designed by his father, Jean-Baptiste Franque.

The construction of the Hôtel de Raousset-Boulbon is part of a period when Avignon, then under pontifical influence, experienced a notable architectural boom. Private hotels, like this one, reflect the social and economic prestige of their owners, often from the aristocracy or the affluent bourgeoisie. These urban residences served both as a place of life and as a representation, illustrating the contemporary taste for luxury and elegance.

The Brancas de Rochefort Hotel, located at No. 35 on Joseph-Vernet Street, was commissioned by André-Louis de Brancas, Count of Rochefort, and designed by Jean-Baptiste Franque. Although its construction began in 1716, it was never completed, as Franque's correspondence shows. The Hotel de Raousset-Boulbon, for its part, was later built in the second half of the 18th century, taking up certain stylistic elements of its neighbour.

In 1949, the street façade and the fountain of the courtyard of the Hotel de Raousset-Boulbon were listed as historic monuments, recognizing their heritage value. This protection highlights the importance of this building in the Avignon architectural landscape, while ensuring its preservation for future generations.

Today, the Hotel de Raousset-Boulbon, located at no 33 on Rue Joseph-Vernet, remains a valuable testimony to the urban history of Avignon. Its architecture, marked by the influence of Franque, father and son, illustrates the evolution of styles and construction techniques in the 18th century in this emblematic region of southern France.

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