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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Racapé de la Feuillée hotel is an emblematic building in the historic centre of Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine. Built in 1659 on plots settled by the city in 1657, it is one of the private hotels of parliamentarians bordering west of Place des Lices. Its architecture, blending stone and wood, reflects the style of the aristocratic residences of the period, with a main facade on the square and a rear façade overlooking St.Louis Street.

The hotel owes its name to the Racapé de la Feuillé family, who owned it in 1681 and 1731, before passing in 1737 to the Parc de Kerguon. Spared by the 1720 fire that devastated Rennes, it retained remarkable architectural elements, such as a two-storey lantern on the roof and curved arcades on Rue Saint-Louis. Ranked a historic monument in 1962, it houses in the 20th century the workshop of the painter Xavier de Langlais, installed on the first floor between 1960 and 1970.

The interior of the hotel is distinguished by its 17th, 18th century and Empire woodwork, as well as by an interior staircase protected by historical monuments. The main façade, in crumbled half-timbered, was probably originally apparent. The building, adjoining the Hotel de la Noue, illustrates Rennes' urban planning and civil architecture under the Old Regime, marked by the influence of local parliamentarians and noble families.

Protected elements include facades, roofs, chimney stumps and interior stairway. Although some windows were turned into windows in the 19th century, the hotel retains much of its authenticity. Its official address, 28 Place des Lices, makes it a privileged witness to the urban and architectural history of Rennes, between medieval heritage and modern transformations.

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