Medieval Puy St Front District
The Puy St Front district developed around the Saint-Front Basilica and its monastery.
The monks established a market which quickly attracted artisans, merchants and farmers from all over the region, thus turning Puy St Front into a bustling commercial and community centre.
The village prospered and developed to the limits of the ancient Roman Cité, the oldest district of Périgueux.
In 1240, these two districts were united into a single municipality, administered by a mayor and officially named Périgueux in homage to the city’s founders, the Petrocorii.
The medieval quarter of Puy St Front is today renowned for its meticulously restored medieval houses, many of which are listed as historical monuments.
Place de la Clautre and Hôtel de Saint-Astier
The Place de la Clautre was not only the original marketplace, but it was also the scene of joyous celebrations and, alas, public executions!
You will find, at the corner of the square with the Rue du Calvaire, an imposing Renaissance-style private mansion, recognizable by its elegant octagonal corbelled turret.
Not far from there, the Hôtel de Saint-Astier, also known as Maison Ribette, is another majestic private mansion from the early 14th century, which displays superb coats of arms framed by two celestial angels.
The Place of Clautre, steeped in history, stands as one of the focal sites within the city.
Maison des Dames de la Foi
The Rue des Farges follows the route of an old Roman road that crossed the heart of the district that would become Puy St Front.
You will find the House of the Maison des Dames de la Foi (Ladies of Faith) along this street.
This Romanesque residence was originally commissioned by the Commander of the Order of the Temple at the end of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century.
A floor and a partition were added in the 16th century during the Renaissance.
It became the residence of the English governor of Périgueux during the Hundred Years War.
With the war over, it became the property of the Laborie family, who, in 1680, bequeathed it to a community of nuns.
However, this small convent was seized during the revolution in 1792 and divided into housing in the following decades. All that remains of the religious building is its distinctive little bell tower.
The city of Périgueux acquired this beautiful building in 1996. Amazingly, the restoration works uncovered a treasure trove of mural paintings dating from the 13th and 14th centuries!
Hôtel d’Abzac de Ladouze and Hôtel de Sallegourde
In the 15th century, a wealthy merchant from Périgueux commissioned the construction of the fortified Hôtel d’Abzac de Ladouze.
The remarkable octagonal corbelled turret and the complex spiral staircase of this private mansion remain architectural masterpieces are listed as historical monuments.
Around 1475, Arnaud Seguy, consul of Périgueux, supervised the construction of the Hôtel de Sallegourde.
This splendid residence stands out for its tower and spiral staircase, as well as the second turret flanking the tower. These architectural features were all classified as historical monuments in 1931.
Amazingly, this second turret houses a small spiral staircase leading to an observation post on a terrace, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
Puy St Front – Place Coderc and Maison Lapeyre
The Place Coderc was mostly Puy St Front animal market where farmers gathered to sell their pigs. It name evolved from the Occitan “coderc“, which means place or pasture.
The Town Hall was built in the 12th century on the west side of the square.
Its imposing bell tower also served as a prison and embodied the city’s authority and governance.
Les Halles, the current covered market, opened in 1829 and replaced Place Couderc.
The Maison Lapeyre, recognisable with its corbelled corner turret, stands at the corner of Place Coderc and Rue Limogeanne.
Hôtel de Lestrade
The Hôtel de Lestrade, also known as Maison La Joubertie, is a splendid example of 16th-century Renaissance architecture.
Built between 1547 and 1559, this private mansion contains a wealth of exquisite details, including a square limestone staircase that winds around a central void. Anchored to the wall on one side, it is elegantly supported by moulded arches and columns, adorned with intricate carvings. This magnificent Renaissance masterpiece is a listed historical monument.
But the splendour of the Hôtel de Lestrade does not end there. It also boasts a magnificent vaulted Baroque ceiling, adorned with the intertwined monograms “H” and “S”. These initials symbolise the union of two important families from Périgord, the Hauteforts and the Solminihacs.
The Hôtel de Lestrade has undergone some modifications over time, including the creation of an opening onto the Rue des Chaînes at the beginning of the 19th century.
Maison du Pâtissier ou Maison Tenant
Rue de la Sagesse connects the lively Place Coderc to the peaceful Place Saint-Louis, where the Maison du Pâtissier (Pastry Chef’s House) stands.
This fortified 14th-century townhouse is also known as Maison Tenant.
It boasts a magnificent Renaissance entrance door, surmounted by a finely sculpted scallop shell, the emblem of the pilgrimage to Santiago of Compostela.
It was once owned by the illustrious Talleyrand family, an influential dynasty whose members left their mark on French history. Mr Tenant, a pastry chef, acquired the mansion in the 19th century and of course, gave his name to the building.
The renowned pastry chef, made his fortune selling his famous Périgueux pastries. Thus, what could be more natural for him than to acquire one of the most aristocratic residences in the city!
Hôtel de Méredieu and Hôtel Estignard
The Rue Limogeanne is a picturesque pedestrian street, lined with numerous elegant Renaissance mansions.
Among these architectural treasures is the Hôtel de Méredieu, dating from the 15th century, at No. 12.
This stunning private mansion indeed boasts a remarkable Renaissance entrance door, surmounted by the coat of arms of the 17th-century nobility.
A little further on, at No. 5, the Hôtel Estignard, is considered one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Périgueux and is thus one of the Puy St Front’s most photographed buildings.
Hôtel de Gamanson and Hôtel de Crémoux
The Hôtel de Gamanson, also known as Logis Saint-Front, is another remarkable architectural gem in the heart of Puy St Front district.
Built in the 12th century, then remodelled in the 16th century, this U-shaped mansion was rightly listed in the Register of Historical Monuments.
Hidden within its inner courtyard, you’ll find a superb 17th-century well, covered by an exquisite dome.
Once the residence of Borros Gamanson, mayor of Périgueux in 1803, this mansion beckons with its splendid arched doorway, framed by two intricately carved pinnacles.
The adjoining L-shaped Hôtel de Crémoux, at No. 3, is another jewel of the 15th century with a superb corbelled turret adorned with a spiral staircase, and elegant mullioned windows.
Galerie Daumesnil
The Galerie Dausmenil is a collection of charming courtyards linked by a maze of picturesque alleyways.
Nestled in the heart of Puy St Front, this picturesque enclave has undergone meticulous restoration to highlight the numerous facades dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.
One of the entrances is located on Rue de la Clarté, near the birthplace of Yrieix Pierre Daumesnil, a major military figure of the First Empire
Hôtel de Fayolle
At the beginning of the 17th century, the influential Cablanc family commissioned the construction of the Hôtel Cablanc.
Located then above the Tour Barbecane (Barbican Tower), one of the imposing defensive towers that once surrounded Puy St Front, the private mansion boasted vast gardens that extended to the banks of the Isle.
In 1858, the new owners, the Larigaudie, sold the Tour Barbecane, which was demolished in 1864 to make way for the Boulevard Georges Saumande.
Despite the tower’s disappearance, the splendour of the Hôtel Cablanc endured, attracting the attention of Count Félix de Fayolle, who acquired it in 1891. This private mansion, since known as the Hôtel de Fayolle, has retained its 17th-century gateway on Rue de l’Abreuvoir, which was listed as a historical monument in 1970.
In 1989, the city of Périgueux acquired the lower part of the Hôtel de Fayolle-Hôtel Cablanc gardens to create the charming Place d’Amberg.
Maisons des Quais
The Hôtel de Salleton, the Maison des Consuls and the Hôtel Lambert, dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, are on the north bank of the Isle near the Pont des Barris.
Maison des Consuls
Despite its name, the Maison des Consuls never served as a consulate.This private mansion, also known as Maison Cayla, was named after its owners, the Cayla family, renowned consuls of Périgueux.
Its facade is a superb example of Flamboyant Gothic architecture, characterised by finely crafted mullioned windows.
Its pointed roof is topped with antic tiles and pierced by two flamboyant-style dormer windows, one of which is adorned with a chimaera.
A charming walkway connects it to the neighbouring Hôtel Salleton.
This Maison des Consuls was once accessible from the quays, but its main entrance is now a courtyard adorned with a beautiful hexagonal tower housing a spiral staircase, Rue du Port Graule.
Hôtel de Salleton
The raised walkway linking the Hôtel de Salleton to the Maison Cayla was once part of the ramparts that fortified the village of Puy St Front and protected the old Pont Tournepiche (bridge). The Broliodie family built the mansion in the 16th century and the Salleton family acquired it in 1630. The Hôtel de Salleton was listed as a historical monument in 1938.
Hôtel Lambert
The 16th-century Hôtel Lambert is also known as the Maison des Colonnes, after the family of architects who acquired it in the 17th century. Renowned for its exquisite Renaissance façade adorned with a superb two-level balustraded gallery, the private mansion was classified as a historical monument in 1889. Originally, the lower level of this gallery was at street level, but it was remodelled following the opening of the RN21-Boulevard Saumande. The mansion also boasts three mullioned dormer windows on its side facades, while its more austere rear facade recalls its 14th-century origins. The Hôtel Lambert thus harmoniously blends the opulence of the Renaissance with medieval sobriety.
Eschif de Creyssac
The Eschif de Creyssac, one of the most intriguing structures in Périgueux, is known by several names: Vieux Moulin (Old Mill), Moulin du Chapître (Chapter’s Mill), and Moulin St-Front.
Originally built as an observation post to monitor the old Pont Tournepiche (bridge) in the Middle Ages, it later served as a granary for the cathedral chapter.
This remarkable half-timbered building, an architectural masterpiece, was built in 1347 on the site of the Maison Creyschat, destroyed by the floods the previous year.
Partly perched of the rampart, it survived until the partial demolition of the latter in 1860 for the construction of the RN21-Boulevard Saumande. The Eschif de Creyssac is remarkable for its stunning architecture, with facades that seem to be suspended in the air, supported by a complex wooden framework.
This unique construction was listed as a historical monument in 1929 under the name Moulin Saint-Front. The city of Périgueux acquired it in 1976 and renamed it Eschif de Creyssac in 1979.
Tour Mataguerre
The Tour Mataguerre is the only remaining vestige of the medieval ramparts that once fortified Puy St Front. These imposing ramparts had 28 towers and 12 gates.
The name “Mataguerre” comes from the Occitan Matar (to keep at a distance) and Guerra (war).
This 15th-century tower was built directly on the rock. Its base is significantly wider than its upper part, and its walls are pierced with loopholes.
From 1622 to 1831, the Tour Mataguerre served as a powder magazine. The original pepperpot-shaped roof deteriorated over time and was eventually replaced by a machicolated parapet.
It is open to the public and offers breathtaking views of the city and its surroundings from its rooftop terrace., and its basement houses a small exhibition of medieval weapons. The Mataguerre Tower was classified as a historical monument in 1840.
Musée du Périgord
Puy St Front is a magnificent district that can be explored in a day. The Musée du Périgord, housed in the former Couvent des Augustins along the Cours Tourny, is a must-see. Created to display objects from ancient Vesunna, the museum has since enriched its collection with archaeological remains from the numerous prehistoric sites of Périgord. Today, the Musée du Périgord is one of the most important prehistory museums in France.
Department of Dordogne
Coordinates Puy St Front District: Lat 45.185081 – Long 0.721627
Related articles: Antic Vesunna-Périgueux and Puy St-Front Cathedral
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Maison des Dames de la Foi by Père Igor CC BY-SA 3.0 – Hôtel de Lestrade by Dominique Robert REPERANT CC BY-SA 3.0
