Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former hospital, then hospital of the two Augustins and retirement home of Plombières-les-Bains, is an emblematic building of the thermal city. Built in the 2nd quarter of the 20th century, it succeeds several hospitals founded in the 14th century, including a royal hospital rebuilt in 1742 under the Duke of Lorraine Stanislas. The present ensemble, inaugurated in 1862 as a thermal hospital thanks to Napoleon III, evolved to accommodate curists and then elderly until 2009.

In 1936, the chapel of Saint Charles, integrated into the building, was renovated with a decoration of mosaics and frescoes signed Gentil & Bourdet, inspired by Franck Danis. This decor, similar to that of the National Bath, includes pink and purple stained glass windows, as well as religious representations such as the Crucifixion or Saint Charles Borromée. The chapel, vaulted in a cradle, has been classified as a historic monument since 2000 for its interiors.

The architecture of the ensemble, in Vosges sandstone, combines a 70-metre U-shaped main body with perpendicular wings, with an Art Deco style isolation pavilion added in 1925. The site, located on Rue Grillot, dominates the Underground Augrone and plays a central role in the thermal and social history of Plombières. After 2009, the renovated premises house artisans and antique dealers under the name Clos des Deux Augustins.

The history of the place dates back to 1389, when Ancel de Darnieulles founded a first hospital for the poor in need of thermal care. Managed by the Sisters of Saint Charles from 1741 onwards, the establishment became a military hospital during the Revolution, then a hospital in the 19th century. The ironworks, signed A. Salin (Meuse), and the gifts of the Husson family mark its architectural and functional evolution.

The 1925 isolation pavilion, with its laboratory supported by the Paris Hydrology Institute, illustrates the adaptation of the site to scientific and medical needs. The chapel, the spiritual heart of the complex, reflects the influence of Robert Danis, architect of the local thermal baths, through the drawings of his son Franck. Today, the site bears witness to the thermal and charitable heritage of Plombières-les-Bains.

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