Maison, 1 rue du Palais, Protected historical house in La Rochelle, France

The house at 1 rue du Palais is a stone building whose ground floor is dressed with rusticated stonework. It stands on a corner with two unequal street frontages: two bays face rue Grosse-Horloge and three face rue Chef-de-Ville, following the medieval line of these lanes.

The building dates from the 15th and 16th centuries but underwent major reconstruction in 1824. Late in the 1800s, an additional floor was built above the second level, expanding the structure as documented at the time.

The house marks the corner of Rue Grosse-Horloge and Rue du Chef-de-Ville, beside the old town's clock tower. Its name comes from the Rue du Palais, the street of the former bishop's palace, and the corner is still a meeting point for walkers crossing the old town.

The house stands at the junction of Rue Grosse-Horloge and Rue du Chef-de-Ville, a few steps from the Grosse-Horloge gate, so it is passed on foot rather than approached by car. The ground floor holds a cafe with a wooden spiral staircase; the upper floors are private. Look up at the corner to read the two street facades together.

The house has no interior courtyard, which is unusual for properties of this age in France. This reflects the tight corner location where land was precious and every bit of ground served the street-facing walls.