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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Art Nouveau building of Dijon, built in the 1st quarter of the 20th century, is an emblematic achievement of architect Louis Perreau (1868-1925). Built at the corner of the streets of the Castle and the Temple, on a fan ground, it is marked by its two identical facades decorated with leaves and fruits (marronniers, apple trees, hazelnut trees, pear trees). These elements are surmounted by arched skylights under overflowing round rump roofs. The ground floor, occupied by shops, preserves preserved Art Nouveau fronts, strengthening the stylistic unit of the ensemble. A cut strip connects the facades, facing Grangier Square, and culminates in a stone pediment carved of vine leaves and grape clusters.

The building permit was issued on 31 December 1906, marking the beginning of a construction site which is part of the architectural renewal of the Dijon. The building, registered to historical monuments since 29 October 1975 for its facades and roofs, next to the poste Grangier (1907-1909), also works by Perreau but in a more conventional Louis XVI style. This contrast illustrates the diversity of architectural currents present in Dijon at the beginning of the 20th century, between Art Nouveau innovation and classical references.

Historical sources, including the works of Claudine Hugonnet-Berger and the inventories of Burgundy heritage, underline its importance as a "relationship building" and as a witness to the civil heritage of Dijon. Detailed descriptions of plant sculptures and structural elements (lucarns, roofs, pediment) reveal a desire to integrate art into everyday urban planning, characteristic of Art Nouveau. The preservation of the original commercial fronts contributes to its authenticity, making this building a rare and coherent example of this movement in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

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