Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Queen Johnne House is an iconic Renaissance-style building located in Pertuis, Vaucluse department. Built in the late 16th century, its exact origin and sponsor remain unknown. Despite its inscription in the historic monuments in 1931, its history preserves shaded areas, notably because of a fire in the 1990s that damaged part of the structure, including the stairway access to the floors. This disaster caused major restoration work, including roofing, floors and cellars, with a housing rehabilitation project (T2 and T3) launched after a public survey in 2010.

Architecturally, the house is characterized by a "L" structure around an inner courtyard, with two monumental facades initially planned for five spans. The original project, unfinished, consisted of three levels surmounted by a genoise and a cornice, partially preserved today. The facades, decorated with colonnades, contrast with a sober ground floor, where only the access gates, framed with columns and surmounted by cornices, are richly decorated. One of these gates, located to the north, gives access to a vestibule leading to the inner courtyard and the right staircase, a key element of vertical traffic.

The property of the house is attested in the hands of the family of Saint-Martin, royal judges and doctors of Pertuis, from 1567 to 1730. Although the exact date of construction remains debated (between 1585-1590 or 1613-1619 depending on the sources), its acquisition by François and Simon de Saint-Martin coincides with a period of maximum valuation of the land at the cadastre. Today, only the two on-street elevations remain, testifying to a building either unfinished or profoundly redesigned over the centuries. The elements protected since 1931 include the façade and vantals of the door, highlighting its heritage importance.

Located at 22 rue Beaujeu, the house illustrates the civil architecture of the Provencal Renaissance, mixing manerist influences and urban functionality. Its current state, marked by recent restorations, reflects efforts to preserve this heritage while adapting to contemporary uses, such as housing development. The building remains a symbol of local history, linked to an influential family and an era of architectural and social transition in Provence.

External links