Initial construction 1468-1470 (≈ 1469)
Dating by dendrochronology (2018).
1800 (vers)
Inn processing
Inn processing 1800 (vers) (≈ 1800)
Documented use as a host institution.
1852
Destroyer fire
Destroyer fire 1852 (≈ 1852)
Loss of second floor, modified reconstruction.
20 avril 1921
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 20 avril 1921 (≈ 1921)
Ministerial Order of Protection.
2019-2021
Restoration campaign
Restoration campaign 2019-2021 (≈ 2020)
Supported by the Heritage Mission.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
House called Maison Sévigné : classification by order of 20 April 1921
Key figures
Gil Fraisse - Heritage Architect
Leads research and restoration.
Stéphane Bern - Host of the Heritage Mission
Financial support via the Lotto.
Marquise de Sévigné - Literary figure (assumption)
Unconfirmed stay, origin of name.
Origin and history
The house Sévigné, located in Bourbon-Lancy in Saône-et-Loire, was built between 1468 and 1470 according to a dendrochronological expertise of 2018, although some sources evoke the sixteenth century. Classified as a Historical Monument on 20 April 1921, it is distinguished by its richly decorated facade, original chimneys (before a fire in 1852) and high ceilings. These elements, as well as a corner stall, suggest that it was a prestigious guest house, perhaps intended for high-ranking travellers on the road to Compostela, Bourbon-Lancy being a stage renowned for its thermal baths.
The fire of 1852 destroyed its second floor, then rebuilt with one level, changing its structure. At the beginning of the 19th century, it served as a hostel, then as a "Poux Volant Hotel" in the 20th century, welcoming daily and indigent. His current name, Maison Sévigné, remains a riddle: no archive confirms the stay of the Marquise, but hypotheses suggest a local legend or marketing strategy of the Touring Club, which campaigned for its ranking. The presence of mysterious sculptures (angels, lamb, stylized leaves) and a pilgrim eroded on the facade reinforces its historical aura.
Between 2019 and 2021, a restoration campaign — supported by Stéphane Bern's Heritage Mission, the Fondation des Monuments Historiques, and donors — consolidated the building. Today, it houses a guest room ("Once upon a time") and continues to fascinate with its supposed ties with the pilgrims of Compostela and its atypical architecture. The research continues to elucidate its symbols (golden fleece?) and its exact past.
The archives (Historical Monuments, Mâcon) and the expertise (Dendotech, architect Gil Fraisse) underline its potential role in welcoming the travelling elites, although its history remains partially speculative. The town of Bourbon-Lancy, marked by the coat of arms of Saint James and its thermal baths frequented by personalities, offers a context conducive to these hypotheses.
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