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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hôtel de Magnoncourt, located at 7 rue Charles Nodier in Besançon, was built in 1776 by bisontin architect Claude Joseph Alexandre Bertrand, also designer of the church Saint-Pierre. This building, commissioned by Claude-François Henrion de Magnoncourt, a noble franc-comtois and former captain, embodies the elegance of the Louis XVI style. Its monumental five-span facade, its commons returning to the courtyard, and its cochère aisle framed with doric vestibules make it a remarkable example of 18th-century civil architecture.

The interior retains an exceptional original décor, including panelling with bas-reliefs, a dining room, a living room and two classified bedrooms. The hotel, sold in 1842 to Philibert-Gustave Mareschal de Longeville, was transformed in 1962 by the Chamber of Commerce, losing its garden to an office building. Acquired by the State in 1993, it has been home to the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC), after having been classified as historical monuments in 1996.

The building is distinguished by its U-shaped plan, its masonry staircase with ironwork ramp, and vaulted cellars. The initial perspective on the park of the Hôtel Pétremand de Valay, desired by Bertrand, was obstructed by the 20th century developments. Despite these modifications, the hotel remains one of Besançon's most beautiful architectural achievements, witness to the aristocratic aristocracy of France before the Revolution.

Construction is part of a changing urban context, where local elites, like the Henrion de Magnoncourt, display their power through sumptuous residences. The architect Bertrand, a major figure of the Bisontin heritage, has a know-how combining classical rigour and delicate ornaments, characteristic of the end of the Ancien Régime. The building also illustrates the successive adaptations of private hotels from private residence to institutional use.

The 1996 classification not only protects facades and roofs, but also rare interior elements, such as the rooms with their original decoration on the ground floor and on the first floor. This protection reflects the heritage value of the building, both for its architecture and its history, linked to the social and urban transformations of Besançon since the 18th century.

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