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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Michel store is an emblematic building of the city of Pont-à-Mousson, located in the historic region of Lorraine, in the heart of the Grand Est. Built in the early twentieth century, it stands out for its front, classified as historical monuments since 2005. This building illustrates the commercial architecture of the period, with a decor combining historicalism and naturalism, typical of the 1920s.

Located at 16, rue Clemenceau, near the city centre and Place Duroc, the store was originally a cabinetmaking workshop founded by Joseph Michel in 1889. His two sons then resumed the workshop and transformed the front in the 1920s, giving him his characteristic style. This place thus bears witness to the evolution of the craft trades towards commerce in the early 20th century in Lorraine.

The Michel store front, with its unique decorative vocabulary, is the only element protected by the 2005 Order. It reflects the influence of the artistic currents of the inter-war period, where there are mixed historical and naturalist motifs. This monument is a remarkable example of the Lorrain commercial heritage, often less highlighted than the region's religious or military buildings.

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