Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Peyronetti hotel, located 13 rue Aude in Aix-en-Provence, was built around 1562 for the Peyronetti family by architect Paul Lombard. The facade, originally sober, was remodeled in 1620 by Jean Lombard, who inspired the castle of La Tour-d'Aigues (1580), adding decorative elements such as bucranes and pilasters. These motifs, symbols of prestige, evoked the profession of the owner, seller of oxen for the provincial army, while entering into an ancient Roman aesthetic.

In the 18th century, the hotel passed to the Miollis family, including two notable figures: Bishop Bienvenue de Miollis, a source of inspiration for Victor Hugo (Monsignor Myriel in Les Misérables), and General Sextius de Miollis, born in these walls in 1759. After the Revolution of 1830, the site will even house a political society called La Cougourde, with reference to a squash discovered on site. A second floor was added in the 19th century, while sculpted parsians and mascarons (XIXe) completed the decor.

Ranked a historic monument in 1983, the hotel preserves remarkable elements: a door drowning with vermiculated bosses, 17th century ironworks, and bucrane friezes. The ground floor, rustic Tuscan order, was transformed over the centuries, its old sheds becoming shops. The iconography, combining weapons and cattle symbols, illustrates the social ascent of its owners, combining utility function and noble ambition.

The building thus bears witness to the architectural and social evolutions of Aix-en-Provence, between Renaissance and modern times. Its decor, both professional and prestigious, reflects the strategies of distinction of a trading bourgeoisie seeking legitimacy. The sources, such as Bouyala's work by Arnaud or Chol, underline his role in the Aix heritage, between local history and literary influence.

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