Hôtel de Millery

Hôtel de Millery is a historic townhouse (hôtel particulier) standing in the old heart of Autun, in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, right by the town's cathedral quarter.

Where is it and how do you get there?

The building sits at 12 Rue Notre-Dame, in Autun's historic core, just a short walk from Saint-Lazare Cathedral. Since it's right in the middle of the old town, the easiest way to reach it is on foot, wandering the narrow streets of the cathedral quarter that visitors already cross while exploring Autun. The town itself lies in the Saône-et-Loire department, in the heart of Burgundy, with good road links to Dijon and Chalon-sur-Saône.

How did this mansion come about?

The story of the Hôtel de Millery is tied to the reshaping of Autun's old defensive walls. In the 17th century, owners of properties adjoining the town's ancient Roman-era rampart were granted permission to lower it, opening the way for grand townhouses to be built along the former fortifications. The Hôtel de Millery was one of them: it went up between 1680 and 1681, on the site of a cluster of older canons' houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, which had previously belonged to the cathedral chapter. The new mansion brought several of these older properties together into one coherent complex.

What will you see, inside and out?

The building's signature feature is a striking horseshoe-shaped staircase — reason enough on its own to pause here for a few minutes. The layout was designed so that views from inside the house stretch out over the surrounding countryside beyond the line of the old town walls, a rare bonus for a residence otherwise wedged into the dense fabric of the old town.

On the entrance gate, bronze lettering spells out the family motto of the original owners: "Vaincre ou mourir" ("Win or die") — a trace of the ambition of the family that built the place. Inside, a suite of rooms still has its painted wood paneling, and a corridor keeps its painted ceiling beams dating from the late 17th century, from the very period the house was built.

The Hôtel de Millery has been listed as a monument historique by an order dated 5 June 2001, formally recognizing its historical and architectural significance at the national level.

When should you visit?

Since the Hôtel de Millery sits right in the middle of old Autun, it makes most sense to see it as part of a walk through the whole cathedral quarter — best done in daylight, when the street is well lit and details on the façade, including the gate with its family motto, are easy to make out. Autun is worth visiting year-round, though spring and early autumn make for the most pleasant walks through the narrow lanes of the old town, without the crowds or heat of high summer.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the Hôtel de Millery? The building is primarily an architectural landmark viewed from the street, within Autun's cathedral quarter — check with the local tourist office beforehand for any current access to the interior.

What makes this mansion distinctive? Above all, its horseshoe-shaped staircase and the gate bearing the bronze family motto "Vaincre ou mourir," along with the painted wood paneling and late-17th-century ceiling beams inside.

Where does the building's history come from? It was built between 1680 and 1681 on the site of former canons' houses, after town authorities allowed the old ramparts to be lowered, which cleared the way for grand townhouses like this one.

Is this the only place named Millery near Autun? No — it shouldn't be confused with the Château de Millery in nearby Saint-Forgeot, a separate property. The Hôtel de Millery is the townhouse standing in the center of Autun itself.