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Origin and history

The Hotel du Croissant is an iconic building located in Bayeux, Calvados, Normandy. Built in the 16th century (or possibly as early as the 15th according to some sources), it is distinguished by its stone-cut architecture and rubble, as well as by its imposing staircase tower, with a corbelled turret. Its name comes from an armored lintel decorated with stars and a crescent, a decorative element that also inspired the name of the adjacent impasse.

The building, originally erected in a popular suburb by a wealthy bourgeois or aristocratic family, underwent a period of abandonment before being ceded in 2013 by the city of Bayeux to a group of investors for €110,000. The purpose of this transaction was to reduce operating costs while allowing its rehabilitation into apartments. An archaeological study of the building preceded the work, revealing details of its construction and evolution.

The facades, roofs and armorial window leading to the impasse of the Crescent (at 51 St. John Street) have been protected since June 24, 1975 by an inscription as historical monuments. This status underscores the hotel's heritage value, including its symbolic lintel and stairway tower, which witness the Renaissance civil architecture in Normandy.

Although the accuracy of its location is considered mediocre (level 4 out of 10), the Hotel du Croissant remains a representative example of the Bayeusan heritage, mixing urban history and architectural heritage. Its recent transformation into housing illustrates the contemporary challenges of preserving and reusing historic monuments.

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