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Origin and history

The Dufraisse hotel, also known as the Chabrol hotel, is an 18th-century mansion located in Riom, in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Built in 1707 for Annet Dufraisse, lawyer and adviser at the Presidial of Riom, it illustrates the aristocratic architecture of the period, with a tripartite organization inspired by Parisian models such as the Rohan hotel. Completely built of Volvic stone, his architect remains unknown, although stylistic similarities suggest a possible influence of Pierre-Alexis Delamair.

The Dufraisse family, originally from Crest, settled in Riom in the 17th century. Martin Dufraisse, first notable member of the riomoise branch, is a lawyer and then receiver at the Presidual. His son, Annet Dufraisse (1672–1709), ordered the construction of the hotel. The lineage culminates with Amable Gilbert Dufraisse du Cheix (1756–1807), an ultra-royalist deputy to the General States of 1789, who emigrated during the Revolution. The hotel, sequestered in 1793, became a prison for nobles before being returned.

Acquired in 1808 by Constantin Tailhardat de la Maisonneuve, then in 1817 by Gaspard de Chabrol, prefect of the Seine, the hotel was sold to the city of Riom in 1865. Since 1866, it has housed the collections of the Mandet Museum, which includes paintings and sculptures. Its interior preserves original decorations, such as panelling and allegorical paintings inspired by François Boucher. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1963, it is now a symbol of the riomois heritage.

The architecture of the hotel, organized between courtyard and garden, takes over the canons of the Parisian hotels of the early eighteenth century. The facade on the garden side resembles that on the Cosnac castle, while the cochère door is inspired by models such as the Amelot de Bisseuil hotel. The first floor lounges, decorated with woodwork and paintings, bear witness to the refinement of the period. The second floor, however, lost its original provisions.

During the Revolution, the hotel embodied the political upheavals: transformed into a prison in 1793, it welcomed the noble local prisoners. After the Terror, Amable Gilbert Dufraisse du Cheix, who returned to France in 1793, avoided arrest and recovered his property. His death without descendants in 1807 marked the end of the direct lineage of the Dufraisses in Riom, paving the way for changes of owners.

Today, the Hôtel du Fraisse du Cheix is protected under the Historical Monuments, with elements classified in 1963 and a global registration in 2020. Owned by the commune, it remains a major cultural place, combining local history and artistic heritage. Its Volvic stone, its interior decorations and its role during the Revolution make it an emblematic monument of Riom.

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