Temple du Goût, 18th century private mansion in Nantes, France

The Temple du Goût is a former private mansion on Feydeau Island, built 1753–1754 by Pierre Rousseau for shipowner Guillaume Grou. Its five-bay stone facade rises through two upper floors to a partial third, with tall rectangular windows and black wrought-iron balconies on carved stone brackets. The balconies narrow floor by floor into a pyramid, crowned by a triangular pediment with two round dormers.

Built in 1753 by architect Pierre Rousseau for merchant Guillaume Grou, the house reflects Nantes' prosperous shipping trade of that era. The building received protected monument status in 1945.

The nickname "Temple du Goût" was given by Nantes residents, or by Pierre Rousseau himself, who kept an apartment there from 1755. The building soon became a rental property, filling with tenants of diverse social backgrounds according to the prestige and size of each apartment.

The mansion is private property and generally closed to visitors, located on Duguay-Trouin and Kervégan streets. You can usually see inside during Heritage Days celebrations when buildings open their doors.

The facade's three balconies narrow as they rise, forming a pyramid: the first spans all five bays on six carved consoles, the second covers only the three central bays, and the third sits before the single central window. The black marble paving of these balconies comes from Sablé.