Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Henri IV's house, located on the Quai de la Batellerie in Saint-Valery-en-Caux (Seine-Maritime), is an emblematic building built in 1540 by Guillaume Ladiré, a local shipowner. His carved elements, representing saints, Brazilian Indians and marine animals, suggest an influence of the shipyards of the time, where some artisans could have worked. The facade on the quay, decorated with characters like the "Indian worshipping the Sun", bears witness to a mixture of religious and exotic motifs, rare for the region.

Ranked a historic monument in 1920 for its façade on the dock, then in 1941 for the other elevations, the house underwent renovations until the 19th century. It preserves a staircase turret and 16th century galleries, as well as later additions in its courtyard. In 1936, the building was transferred to the commune and transformed into a museum, preserving its architectural and sculptural heritage.

Built in wood and sandstone, the building illustrates the Renaissance Cauchian civil architecture, marked by the port activity of Saint-Valery-en-Caux. The decorations, combining maritime symbols and distant figures, reflect Normandy's trade with the emerging Americas. Today the communal property, the house remains a testimony of the links between local craftsmanship and maritime expansion in the 16th century.

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