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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Hotel du Grand Cerf is a major building of the Alençon heritage, built in the 2nd quarter of the 19th century in an architectural style troubadour. Located at 19 rue Saint-Blaise and 1 rue des Marcheries in Alençon (Orne, Normandy), it was initially a café-inn that was acquired in 1838 by the Beaudoin Innkeeper. The latter undertook a complete restructuring, creating a new façade completed in 1842, followed by an attic and a central skylight added in 1843. The architecture combines troubadour and Renaissance influences, with sculptures, committed columns and adorned entablements.

In 1854, Beaudoin enlarged the hotel by destroying a nearby house to add two spans, making the Grand Cerf the largest hotel in Alençon of the time. The building, designed by architect Dedaux, had a long history of hotel activity before closing its doors on December 31, 2007. Its facades, roofs and two entrance lamps were inscribed in historical monuments on 18 December 2008, excluding the extended wing rue des Marcheries. After its closure, a renovation project was announced in 2016-2018 to transform it into a hotel.

The troubadour style of the Hotel du Grand Cerf, marked by rinceaux and Renaissance elements, reflects 19th century architectural eclecticism. Property shared between a private company and the municipality of Alençon, it illustrates the evolution of hotel establishments in France, between innkeeper tradition and tourist modernity. The sources also mention its connection to the Café la Renaissance, located on the same street, acquired by a developer as part of its rehabilitation.

The latest media reports (2007-2018) evoke its final closure as a restaurant-hotel, followed by plans to reopen in the form of a new hotel establishment. The protected elements (façades, roofs, streetlights) underline its heritage importance, while ancient postcards and references in the Merimée and Structurae bases attest to its historical reputation.

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