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Origin and history

Scarron's house, located on Place Saint-Michel in Le Mans, is a medieval building built in the 12th century and profoundly redesigned in the 16th century. She owes her name to the writer Paul Scarron, who lived there during his life in the Mansole city. This monument is part of a remarkable architectural complex, in the heart of the ancient Plantagenêt City, in the immediate vicinity of Saint-Julien Cathedral and other historic buildings such as the Palace of the Grabatory, today a bishopric.

Place Saint-Michel, where the house stands, was a central place from Gallo-Roman times, probably the forum of Vindunum, capital of the Cenomans. In the Middle Ages, it became one of the two major poles of the city with Saint Peter's Square, each controlled by a separate authority: the Church for Saint Michael, the Counts of Maine for Saint Peter. The cathedral, built from 1080, and institutions such as the Hospital of the Poor of Christ or the canon houses were established, making this place a religious, political and social home.

Scarron's house itself, classified as a historical monument by decree of 6 January 1927, illustrates the architectural evolution of the region, mixing Romanesque and renaissance elements. Like other buildings in the square, such as the house of Saint Paul (XVI century) or the palace of the Grabatory, it bears witness to the importance of Le Mans as a cultural and political crossroads, including royal figures such as Louis XIV and Marie de Medici. The ground and stone pillars of the square have also been protected since 1945, highlighting the heritage value of the ensemble.

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