Maison du Roi

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

History

The Maison du Roi was the seat of the rectors of the Oeuvre du Pont. It was rebuilt in the early 16th century, under the reign of François Ier. On this occasion, a salamander was carved beneath the window consoles. Rectors, viguiers and consuls administered justice there. Twelve kings of France were received there (Jean le Bon, Charles VI, Louis XIII...). In the room called the King's Room the Estates of Languedoc assembled on six occasions (1517, 1520, 1523, 1529 to 1610). The governors of the town made it their residence in the 16th century. From the primitive construction, the edifice has retained the great hall of the ground floor and the staircase tower. The hall, whose ceiling with small beams must have been remade in the 17th century, opens onto the Rhône by four windows with cross-frames and mullions. Very deeply carved corbels are placed on either side of the windows. The west façade is pierced by the four windows of the spiral staircase. The spiral of this staircase is very wide and quite fine, in a hexagonal cage. On the ground floor, at the foot of the staircase, three doors open onto a canted corner. They form in plan a small triangle whose vault is a rib vault.