Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Grand'Rue House 56, located in Montluçon (Allier), is a remarkable bourgeois house dating from the late 15th or early 16th century. Its wooden facade, decorated with the cross of Saint Andrew, illustrates late medieval civil architecture. The ground poles and consoles, as well as the wooden door reconstituted from ancient fragments, testify to its historic authenticity. This building was restored around 1910 under the impulse of Léonie Duchet and d'Émile Zèle, two local figures committed to the preservation of the Bourbon heritage.

Léonie Duchet (1849-1931), custodian of the collections and vice-president of the Friends of Montluçon, played a key role in the restoration of the house, in collaboration with Émile Zèle (1862-1934), cartoonist, amateur archaeologist and professor. The latter, also keepers of collections, helped to preserve the original architectural elements, such as the door surmounted by a flowered brace. In the 20th century, the house belonged to André Guy (1913-2008), historian and president of the Friends of Montluçon from 1950 to 1993, thus perpetuating its link with the protection of the local heritage.

Classified as a Historic Monument since 1935 for its facade and roof, this house embodies Montluçon's architectural heritage. Its history also reflects the commitment of local collectors and scholars, as evidenced by the sources of the Friends of Montluçon and the work of the archaeological inventory conducted by P. Pradel in the 1920s-1930s. However, the accuracy of its location remains poor (level 5/10), according to available data.

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