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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Maison du Boucher, located on Rue des Boucheries in Billom (Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), is an emblematic 15th century building. Built in wooden strips, it combines a shop on the ground floor, with an arcade in basket handle, and floors in corbellation. His name would come from the head of the butchers' corporation, suggesting a central role in local commerce. The structure includes a gallery supported by wooden and stone poles, as well as a screw staircase serving the upper levels.

In the 18th century, changes were made, such as adding a pantry and kitchens, while some parts (especially in the east) seem to have lost their original corbellation. Abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century, the house, classified as Historic Monument in 1919, was at risk in 1929. Restoration work, initiated in 1931 by the Ministry of Fine Arts under the direction of the architect Heritte, allowed its preservation. A second phase of restoration, in the 1960s and 1970s, involved the western and southern parts.

The building is distinguished by its varied vaults (cradles, cloister arches, cul-de-four) and its facades mingling with darkened bellows and wooden panels. Perhaps the house was close to another building, as evidenced by the traces of openings in the adjoining wall. Its architecture reflects medieval practices, with a clear separation between commercial spaces (shop, stall) and domestic (floors with fireplaces).

Ranked for its heritage interest, Maison du Boucher embodies Billom's urban history, marked by business corporations and the evolution of constructive techniques. Its rescue in the 20th century underlines the importance attached to the preservation of medieval buildings in Auvergne.

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