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Origin and history

The Hotel du Bouteiller, also known as Hôtel de Montureux or Saint Juan, is a private hotel located at 2 rue des Granges in Besançon. Its origin dates back to the twelfth century, when a pre-existing building served as a fief for an officer of the archbishop, the bottler, charged with the measurements of the hall. The present building was rebuilt in 1582 by the architect of Dijon Hugues Sambin for Claude de Jouffroy, lord of Marchaux, marking his Renaissance style with a stone-cut facade decorated with Latin sentences and sculptures.

In the 18th century, the hotel passed into the hands of the Jobelot de Montureux family, which in 1741 entrusted its extension to the bisontin architect Jean-Charles Colombot. This phase adds an honour staircase in ironwork and Louis XVI interior decorations, including a living room and alcove rooms. The 18th century facade imitates that of the 16th century, creating an architectural harmony. The hotel, which has been protected since 2008, also keeps a dovecote in a corner tower and galleries partially made of wood.

The history of the hotel reflects the changes in owners and uses: inherited by the Desbiez de Saint Juan in 1799, transformed into shops in the 19th century, and then congested with parasitic constructions in the 20th century. Despite these changes, there remains a testimony of the bisontine elites, mixing residential functions, power symbols (moral perceptions) and urban adaptations. Its inscription in the Historical Monuments covers the entire building, including its courtyards and interior decorations.

The main façade, dated 1582, is distinguished by its alternate frontons (triangular and curved) supported by lion heads, and its portal engraved with maxims like "Complete or does not begin". Inside, the large stone staircase with wrought iron ramp serves rooms with Louis XVI panelling, while the vaulted basement in cradle recalls medieval foundations. The site, owned by an association, illustrates the architectural and social evolution of Besançon, from church officers to noble families.

The neighborhood of La Boucle, where the hotel is located, was a place of power linked to the archdiocese. The bottler, an officer in charge of measurements and wines, was an administrative and symbolic authority. The reconstruction of 1582 coincides with the activity of Hugues Sambin in Besançon, where he also works at the courthouse. In the 18th century, the extension by Colombot is part of a context of urban embellishment, with pastiche facades and interior arrangements reflecting the aristocratic taste of the era.

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