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Origin and history

Aurillac, in the Cantal department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is a prison facility designed by the departmental architect Théophile Carriat. It was officially inaugurated on 4 November 1872 and began to operate in 1868. Its facades and roofs have been protected as historical monuments since May 4, 1984, reflecting its architectural and heritage significance.

The establishment, with an initial capacity of 72 places, is the only one in the Cantal department. It is administratively dependent on the interregional direction of the prison services in Lyon and is subject to judicial review by the Court of Aurillac and the Court of Appeal in Riom. Renovation works were carried out in 1947, 2008 and 2009 to modernize its infrastructure.

In 2024, the prison housed 77 prisoners, exceeding its theoretical capacity with a occupancy rate of 106.9 per cent. Among his notable detainees are Jean-Bernard Fourtillan. The site, owned by the department, is distinguished by its architecture and its role in the local prison system since the 19th century.

Built on a plot of 1,719 m2, the arrest house consists of two buildings: one administrative and another dedicated to detention, organized in a "House of arrest Men". Its official address, 20 Place du Square (or 16 rue Beauclair according to sources), makes it a major urban and historical landmark in Aurillac.

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