Timeline

Origin and history

The Hotel Moncouncil, located in Saintes en Nouvelle-Aquitaine, was built in the first half of the eighteenth century, on a plot liberated by the demolition of the old ramparts in 1738. This project is part of the city's first urban development, with a main façade overlooking the newly created wharfs, offering views of the river and surrounding countryside. Its architecture reflects the rock style then in vogue, especially through bas-reliefs and consoles adorning the balcony.

Inside, the most remarkable element is the large stone staircase, with a wrought iron balustrade, considered one of the most beautiful architectural examples in the region. The other interior fittings come from jobs: painted ceilings of the castles of Romegoux and of the Forest, as well as of the panels from the castle of Tonnay-Charente. This hotel is a unique testimony to the official taste of the first half of the eighteenth century in Saintonge, combining prestige and re-use of heritage elements.

Ranked Historic Monument by order of 17 July 2009, the building is protected in its entirety, including its interior decoration and the ground of its plot (cadastre BZ 30). Owned by the commune of Saintes, it is located at the Quai Réversaux and Rue Moncounsel, in an area marked by the urban transformations of the Enlightenment century. Its location, noted as satisfactory a priori (level 6/10), makes it an accessible heritage landmark, although its current use (visits, rental, guest rooms) is not specified in the available sources.

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