Initial construction XIVe siècle (≈ 1450)
Period assigned according to Monumentum.
XVe ou XVIe siècle
Architectural changes
Architectural changes XVe ou XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Facade and current developments dated.
21 mai 2007
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 21 mai 2007 (≈ 2007)
Registration by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The entire house, including its interior decorations and furnishings, as well as the tower of the castle (Box C 227): inscription by order of 21 May 2007
Key figures
Information non disponible - Owners or sponsors
No names listed in the sources.
Origin and history
The house Podevigne de Grandval is a medieval residence in Saint-Urcize, in the Cantal department (region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). Built in the 14th century according to certain sources, its current architecture seems to reflect more of the 15th or 16th century works. It is backed by a square tower, the last vestige of an ancient castle, and consists of two wings in return of square around a tower of staircase screw, bordering an inner courtyard.
The street façade features four Gothic bays decorated with remarkable sculptures, including a tambourine player, a siren and a character climbing on consoles. Inside, two large rooms keep monumental Gothic-style fireplaces. These architectural and decorative elements testify to the historic importance of this house, probably linked to an affluent family or a local administrative function.
The house was listed as historic monuments by order of 21 May 2007. This protection covers the entire building, including its interior decorations and the tower of the adjoining castle. Its location, Place Saint-Jean-de-la-Croix (or 2 rue des Moulinets according to the sources), makes it a central element of the built heritage of Saint-Urcize, a village marked by its medieval history and its role in the Haute-Auvergne.
Although the archives do not explicitly mention its occupants or its original function, this type of fortified or bourgeois house was often associated in the region with noble families, fortified merchants or local officers. The presence of the tower, a castral vestige, suggests a defensive or seigneurial origin, while subsequent developments (Gothic windows, chimneys) indicate an adaptation to the residential needs of the later eras.
Today, the house Podevigne de Grandval illustrates the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and Renaissance in Auvergne. Its state of conservation and its protection bear witness to the construction techniques and way of life of the rural elites of this period, in a territory marked by both southern (Languagedoc) and mountain influences (Central Massif).
