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Origin and history

Hotel Montaudouin, also known as Hotel des Colonnes, is a neo-classical mansion built at the end of the 18th century on Place Maréchal-Foch, in the centre of Nantes. It is part of an urbanisation project led by architects Jean-Baptiste Ceineray and then Mathurin Crucy, aimed at transforming the former fortified area northeast of the cathedral. The symmetry of the building, with its column porch and adorned pediment, corresponds to that of the nearby hotel, creating an architectural harmony on the square.

Ceineray's initial project provided for the destruction of the St. Peter's Gate to symetricize space, but it was preserved. Mathurin Crucy, who succeeded him in 1780, adapted the plan by tracing Chauvin Street and integrating a porch surmounted by a colonnade. The land was acquired by M. de Martel, whose mother-in-law, Anne Montaudouin de la Clartiere, became one of the first inhabitants. The hotel is divided into two parts: one occupied by Mrs Montaudouin and the other by the widow Dulac.

The building is distinguished by its imposing facade, inspired by Palladio, with four Corinthian columns supporting a carved pediment. The facade on the Bishop's Street features arcades, while the interior, accessible by Chauvin Street, reflects Italian influence. The facades and roofs have been protected as historical monuments since 1951 (northern part) and 1954 (southern part), highlighting its heritage importance.

The Montaudouin Hotel illustrates the urban transition of Nantes in the 18th century, marking the transition from a medieval town fortified to a modern and orderly city. Its architecture, combining classical rigour and elegance, bears witness to the know-how of architects Ceineray and Crucy, as well as the influence of Italian models in French urban planning of the time.

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