Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel des Postes in Dijon, nicknamed "La Grande Poste" by the inhabitants, was designed by architect Louis Perreau and inaugurated in 1909. It replaces a vague land once occupied by the castle of Dijon, demolished in the late 19th century. The original neo-Louis XVI building is distinguished by its clock dial decorated with sculptures (Day and Night by Paul Gasq) and two mosaic medallions depicting cocks, symbols of the PTT. A metal turret then houses the telephone and telegraph central office. The façade on Grangier Square and the cut side at the corner of Château Street mark its architectural identity.

Between 1927 and 1932, the building was enlarged in an Art Deco style by architects Charles Danne and Gilles Delavault, the latter being a PTT regional architect. The extension integrates into the initial quadrilateral, forming a five-body set around two courses. The ground floor of the main body houses a public hall with caissoned ceilings, while the hall and monumental staircase, on the boulevard de Brosses side, highlight the prestige of the place. A historical detail remains: the well of the old castle of Dijon, preserved in the boiler room.

Partially listed as historical monuments since December 2, 2013, the building protects its facades, the entrance gate of rue Jean-Renaud, the public hall, the hall of honour, and the medieval well. After a major restructuring in the 2010s, the Hotel des Postes diversifies its uses: reduced postal services, dental centre (Dentego), coworking spaces (Startway), and a 4-star hotel (Aloft Dijon, opened in 2024). Some rooms offer views of the historic clock, such as the Watch Suite, integrated with the original dial.

The building illustrates the evolution of public buildings in the 20th century, from an exclusive postal function to a mixed complex combining heritage, services and accommodation. Its eclectic architecture, combining neo-classicism and Art Deco, makes it a witness to the stylistic and urban transitions of Dijon. The preservation of elements such as the castle well or mosaics strengthens its historical anchor in the city.

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