Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Maison des 8-12 rue des Marcheries is a civil building located in Alençon, in the department of Orne in Normandy. Built in the 18th century, it replaces two previous houses and embodies the architectural style typical of the region, with a central body with three levels flanked by lower wings. Its street façade is distinguished by a cornice highlighted with a brush band, wrought iron bodyguards and an open door decorated with palmettes and shells.

The interior retains remarkable decorative elements, including 18th-century panelling in the small dining room. The main dining room, although partially redone around 1820, has a decor of famed and winged lovers connected by fruit garlands. The other pieces, although redesigned, preserved their original doors. The wooden interior staircase, with its wrought iron ramp, and facades and roofs, have been protected as historical monuments since 9 October 1989.

This monument bears witness to the urban evolution of Alençon in the Enlightenment century, where bourgeois houses were distinguished by their elegance and careful decor. Its inscription among historical monuments underlines its heritage importance, both for its exterior architecture and for its preserved interior elements, reflecting the artisanal know-how of the time.

External links