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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hôtel-Dieu de Mantes-la-Jolie has its origins in the 11th century, according to local tradition. Originally located near the church of Saint Maclou, it was first transferred over the gate of the Fort before settling at its current location. It was not until the 17th century, between 1638 and 1675, that the site took its definitive form under the impulse of the hospital nuns of Pontoise, authorized to settle there to treat the poor. The accounts of the period detailed major works between 1646 and 1672, including the reconstruction of the buildings and chapel, with massive deliveries of stones, tiles, and slates.

The chapel, a central element of the complex, was built between 1667 and 1670 under the direction of the master builders Pitrou and Gaspart, the latter producing the portal for 4,000 pounds. The finishings (glasses, paving, painting of the choir) ran until 1672, when the carpenter Maillard built the dome of the gate. At its peak around 1700, the Hôtel-Dieu housed 35 nuns and generated 4,000 annual rents, illustrating its key role in medical and social assistance in the region.

After the Revolution, the settlement lasted until 1834, the date of its decommissioning. The buildings were gradually reconverted: the chapel became a café-theatre in 1854, then a cinema in 1912 (the Palace Attractions), before being acquired by the city in 1962. Meanwhile, in 1847, the merger with the old man's hospice led to the division of the site into lots and the creation of the Rue du Dr. Today, only the façade of the old chapel, classified in 1948, remains as a protected vestige of this hospital heritage.

A notable architectural episode took place in 1958, when the architect Marcel David had the facade of 5-7 rue de la Heuse voluntarily collapsed to give it a medieval appearance, thus altering its original appearance. The archives also reveal that in 1819-1821 the top of the chapel was rebuilt by Vivenel, while in 1834 the Hôtel-Dieu had 20 beds (15 for men, 5 for women), managed by 4 sisters of the Order of Saint-Maurice de Chartres.

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