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Origin and history

The Grand-Cerf Hotel is a private hotel located at 10 rue Pémagnie, in the historic centre of Caen. Built in the 16th century, it was initially a manor house belonging to Charles and Jacques Saffray, lords of Varaville and D'Epron. Sold in 1591 to Paul des Essarts, seigneur de Montficrit, the property was transformed into an inn under the name of Grand-Cerf, taking advantage of its proximity to the Porte Saint-Martin and the market square (now Saint-Sauveur Square). Its architecture blends Renaissance elements, such as a stone-crossed window, with Louis XIII additions, including two turrets adorning the facade on the courtyard.

The facade on courtyard and the street-side skylights, characterized by pinacles and non-blased shields, were inscribed in historical monuments on 13 April 1928. The roof, decorated with animal sculptures, bears witness to the fascist of the period. Acquired by the city of Caen in 1971, the hotel was restored in 1999 in collaboration with ARM to become eleven social housing units, thus preserving its heritage while offering it a new vocation.

The building illustrates the evolution of Kenyan private hotels, moving from seigneurial residence to accommodation and then to social housing. Its inscription among historical monuments underlines its architectural importance and its role in the urban history of Caen, between the late Middle Ages and the modern era. The successive transformations reflect the changing needs of the city, while maintaining traces of the Renaissance and classical periods.

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