Maison romane, Romanesque house in Provins, France

The Maison Romane at 12 rue du Palais is a 12th-century house of small, irregular limestone blocks in pale beige and grey, rising to a steeply pitched roof of weathered brownish tiles. A projecting stone band divides the facade: two round-arched windows and a small square opening above, a cross-shaped iron fixing, an arched niche and a square window below, and a large round-arched doorway with a white door at the base. Inside, a large vaulted cellar survives, along with a 12th-century octagonal column.

The building was constructed in the 12th century when Provins flourished as a trading town and wealthy merchants built their homes there. The structure remained intact over the centuries, reflecting a time when the city held an important role in European commerce.

The house stands in the medieval Jewish quarter, so it may have held a synagogue or a Jewish school. In the 14th century it belonged to Pierre d'Orgemont, a converted Jew. Later used as a school, it has housed the Musée du Provinois since 1950.

The house sits in the center of Provins and is easily reached on foot from the main plaza. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes since the narrow staircases and uneven stone floors require slower movement.

The house stands in what was the medieval Jewish quarter, so it may have housed a synagogue or a Jewish school. In the 14th century it belonged to Pierre d'Orgemont, a converted Jew. A 12th-century octagonal column survives inside, above a large vaulted cellar.