Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hotel Desandrouins, also known as the Imperial Palace, is an emblematic building of Boulogne-sur-Mer, built in 1777 for the Viscount François-Joseph-Théodore Desandrouin according to the plans of architect Giraud Sannier. This neo-classical building is distinguished by its two-storey facade crowned with a pediment, reflecting the architectural taste of the era for symmetry and ancient references. His history was closely linked to Napoleon I, who stayed there three times (1803, 1810, 1811) and made it a strategic place for the Great Army.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the palace became the headquarters of the General Staff of the Great Army, also welcoming historical figures such as the Tsar Alexander I of Russia. After centuries of history, it still houses today Napoleon's chamber and work office, restored to evoke their original state. Although generally closed to the public, it opens during Heritage Days and summer tours. The city plans to make it a museum dedicated to Napoleonic epics, integrating a tourist trail with other sites such as the Column of the Great Army.

Ranked a historic monument in 1946 (inscription) and then in 1984 (partial classification), the palace protects its roofs, facades, its decorated staircase and several rooms on the first floor, including the dining room and Napoleon's bedroom. These elements testify to its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its role in French imperial history. Since 1998, part of the building has also housed the Social Sciences and Humanities Research House at the University of the Littoral-Côte d'Opale, prior to its move in 2014.

The hotel thus illustrates both the fascist of the 18th century aristocracy, with its sponsor Desandrouin, and the political upheavals of the 19th century, marked by the Napoleonic countryside. Its state of conservation and future projects make it a key place to understand the historical heritage of Boulogne-sur-Mer, between local memory and national outreach.

External links