Hôtel d'Alluye, Private mansion and classified historical monument in Blois, France.
The Hôtel d'Alluye stands at no. 8 rue Saint-Honoré in Blois, built on a 30-metre quadrangle of which only the south and east wings survive. Its Louis XII facade mixes Gothic culs-de-lampe with Renaissance volutes, while the courtyard side shows Italianate medallions of Roman emperors. The south wing, the main building, opens onto the street through a large portal, with a former stable area to its left.
Between 1498 and 1508, Florimond Robertet, secretary to King Louis XII, commissioned this residence and named it after his barony of Alluyes. The construction reflects the architectural transition between the late medieval period and the early modern era.
The name comes from the barony of Alluyes, a fief in the Beauce held by Florimond Robertet. In 1588 the house lodged Louis II, Cardinal of Guise, during the Estates General of Blois, before his assassination on the order of Henry III. The courtyard medallions show Roman emperors, a motif far more Italianate than the street facade.
The property sits on Rue Saint-Honoré and remains a private residence, though the courtyard opens to the public during European Heritage Days events. Visitors should plan ahead to check when these special openings occur to gain access.
The courtyard keeps two arcaded galleries, now glassed in, on the east wing; their arches match those of the south wing. The southeast corner of that wing held the kitchen, with its own well, and a large pantry. The south wing's ground floor has a large room opening onto the courtyard and a smaller one beside it.
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