Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bontemps hotel, located 9 rue des Fillols in Belvès (Dordogne), is an architectural vestige combining several periods. Originally probably a noble house of the 12th–13th centuries, it retains a broken arch arch of this period. The façade on Rue des Fillols was redesigned in 1520 with the addition of an Italian Renaissance door and sled windows, while the part on Rue de la Tour, in the shape of a tower, was rebuilt in the 15th century above the first level. These transformations reflect the evolution of defensive or residential styles and needs.

During the Hundred Years War (1337–1553), the hotel was occupied by Thomas Bontemps, English captain, who gave him his current name. The building was also said to have served as a seat for the officers or captains of the square of the Archbishop of Bordeaux, Lord of Belvès, stressing its strategic and administrative importance. The sculpted medallions from the top of the door, the sill windows and the screw staircase testify to its past prestige, although only part of the original structure remains today.

Ranked a historic monument on December 6, 1948, Hotel Bontemps illustrates the medieval and reborn heritage of Belvès. Its present state, partially destroyed, offers an overview of the constructive techniques and artistic influences of the period, including the contribution of Italian style in southwestern France. The location at the corner of the streets of the Fillols and the Tower makes it a landmark in the city's historic urban fabric.

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