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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Duguesclin Hotel is a private hotel located in Angers, built in two close countrysides in the middle of the sixteenth century. The western part of the large house, at the corner of the Place de la Paix and Rue de l'Hommeau, was erected in 1548, while the eastern part and the pavilion were completed in 1554, as evidenced by two carved cartridges. This second phase, more monumental, could include a reclothing of the initial part. The property was sold in 1554 by Pierre Audouin, chaplain of the Church of the Trinity, to Mathurin Marcouault, master regent at the college of Anjou. Interior elements dating from the 16th century include a screw staircase, a fireplace, a vaulted room, and carved ceilings in the pavilion.

Remodelling takes place in the second half of the 17th century, with the first floor ceiling being raised, new chimneys added, and the creation of an outdoor staircase in a dressing room. The hotel took its present name at the beginning of the eighteenth century, when it was inherited by René-Olivier Du Guesclin, a Musketeer from the famous Breton family. A living room is located on the ground floor in the 4th quarter of the 18th century, marked by a painted fireplace. The commons, modified in the 19th century, were reduced in the 1980s, while minor changes (perceptions, simplifications) affected the hotel in the 20th century.

Ranked Historic Monument by order of 9 June 1965, the Duguesclin Hotel illustrates Renaissance civil architecture in Anjou. Its portal, span elevations, and pavilion roof make it a remarkable example of the angeline heritage. The dendrochronological studies and the dated cartridges made it possible to specify the phases of construction, while the subsequent transformations reflect its adaptation to successive uses, from ecclesiastical residence to noble residence.

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