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Origin and history

The House of Henry IV, also named Hotel de Roaldes, is an emblematic building of Cahors, built at the end of the 15th century on the remains of an earlier building. Although its initial construction dates back to this period, its name was associated with King Henry IV, who had allegedly stayed there in 1580 during the Wars of Religion, after the siege of Cahors. This event marks its historic importance in the context of religious conflicts that have profoundly affected the region.

The hotel was acquired in 1661 by the Roaldès family, a notable lineage of Cahors including François Roaldès, a lawyer and professor at the local university in the 16th century. The family retained the property until 1880, when architectural changes were made, such as the addition of a south-facing floor. In 1912, a member of the Roaldès family purchased the hotel and undertook work to highlight the half-timbered south façade, while transforming the top floor into a solelho (a covered gallery typical of regional architecture).

Ranked a historic monument in 1862, the Roaldès Hotel illustrates the architectural and social evolution of Cahors, mixing medieval remains and adaptations of later eras. Its structure combines bellows, bricks from an earlier building, and a south elevation in wooden strips, while its vaulted basement in cradle and its stair tower leading to an upper bedroom testify to ancient constructive techniques. The left façade, redone, and successive transformations reflect the changing uses of this place, between private residence and preserved heritage.

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