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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The small Colombel hotel is a mansion located in L'Aigle, in the department of Orne, Normandy. Built in the 18th century, it embodies the classical architecture of this period, with a sober facade and a richly decorated interior. The building is distinguished by its central forebody marked by a triangular pediment, made of cut stone on the main façade and bricks at the back. It includes a floor, a top and a basement level on the back façade, reflecting the social status of its owners.

Acquired in 1757 by Paul-Etienne Collombel, squire and officer of the Duke of Orléans, this monument illustrates the rise of the industrial and trading bourgeoisie of the eighteenth century. The Collombel family, representative of this growing social class, has preserved in this hotel a remarkable interior decor, including panelling and fireplaces of Louis XV and Louis XVI style. The staircase, decorated with a wrought iron ramp, as well as the living rooms and rooms with their woodwork, testify to the refinement of the period.

Partially classified as historical monuments by order of 17 April 1987, the small Colombel hotel protects its facades, roofs, and emblematic interior elements. These protections cover in particular the staircase, the large and the small living room on the ground floor, as well as four upstairs bedrooms, with their woodwork, fireplaces and mists. This classification underscores the heritage value of a building linked to the economic and social history of Normandy in the Enlightenment century.

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