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Origin and history

The house at 19 rue du Président-Carnot in Libourne is a rare architectural testimony of the 15th and 18th centuries. This pavilion, now isolated, originally housed a staircase and was part of a large residence dependent on the royal domain. Most of the old buildings were destroyed in 1712 to give way to two modern houses, keeping only the stair tower, flanked by a turret of access to the floors. The street door, with its vantail and oculus, dates from the end of the seventeenth century, while inside, a hexagonal staircase, surmounted by a arched arch, carries a sculpted shield on its key.

The monument is marked by illustrious stays: in 1650 Cardinal Mazarin resided there during his visit to Libourne, accompanied by King Louis XIV, Anne of Austria and the court. Nine years later, in 1659, he stopped there again before going to Saint-Jean-de-Luz to negotiate Louis XIV's marriage with the infant of Spain. These events highlight the strategic importance of Libourne, a landmark city on the royal roads of the time.

The stair turret, the only part classified as Historic Monument by decree of 17 December 1936, embodies the medieval and classical heritage of the region. Its architecture combines defensive (tourelle) and residential elements (adorned staircase), reflecting stylistic evolutions between the Middle Ages and the modern era. The accuracy of its location is considered satisfactory, and its official address remains 19 rue du Président-Carnot, in the department of Gironde.

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