Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house of Vallenet, located in Aubusson in the Creuse (New Aquitaine), owes its name to a noble family of the Marche, established in the area since the fourteenth century. Its construction began at the end of the 15th century, with major additions to the 16th century, including a hexagonal staircase tower. Materials came from the château of the Chapter, destroyed in 1632 by order of Richelieu. The facades were redesigned in the 18th century, supplemented by a fountain dated 1718 decorated with the arms of the city and the Viscounts of Aubusson.

The Vallenet family, linked to the rise of the local tapestry, held key roles: one member was consul of Aubusson in 1521, another captain of the castle in 1577, who died during a duel. Their house, at the corner of the Grande-Rue and the Place de la Libération, presents two houses with symmetrical windows, a dome turret, and a tower with a pepper roof, mixing civil and military styles.

Protected in 1926 for its tower, then in 1930 for its facades and roofs, the house embodies the urban history of Aubusson. The descriptions of Cyprien Pérathon (1901) and Gilles Rossignol highlight its picturesque character and its connection to the merchant aristocracy. The nearby fountain, classified with the house, forms a major decorative ensemble of the historic center.

The Vallenets, merchants enriched by tapestry, illustrate alliances between bourgeoisie and regional nobility. Their hotel, witness to architectural transformations (XVth–XVth centuries), also reflects the destructions related to conflicts, such as that of the Castle of the Chapter. The successive protections for historical monuments make it a heritage symbol of Creuse.

The sources, including the work of Perathon and the Merimée archives, confirm its exact address (rue Pardoux-Duprat) and its double inscription. The house, still visible in street view, remains a visual landmark thanks to its tower and fountain, key elements of Aubusson's visual identity.

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