Hôtel Maledent de Savignac de Feytiat

Hôtel Maledent de Savignac de Feytiat is a historic townhouse in the Château district of Limoges, standing on rue Haute-de-la-Comédie. Despite the word "hôtel" in its name, this is not a place to book a room — it's a 17th-century patrician residence that now serves as government office space.

Why does the building carry this particular name?

Pierre Hardy, who held the post of president-treasurer of France at the Limoges tax office, had the mansion built in 1639. The name it's known by today, though, comes from a different family: the Maledent du Puytison de Feytiat, linked to the Hardy line through marriage. It was the Maledents who occupied the house right up to the French Revolution, after which they emigrated and the property was seized by the state.

What became of the house after the Revolution?

Following the family's departure, the mansion passed into administrative use under state control. Its next chapter as a private institution began in 1820, when the Sisters of the Cross acquired the building and opened a boarding school for girls there. That school ran until 1904, when a French law targeting religious congregations forced its closure. Education resumed in 1921 under the name Sacré-Cœur boarding school, a use that continued for decades afterward.

What does the architecture look like?

The street facade opens onto an interior courtyard through a round-arched doorway flanked by four Corinthian columns supporting a triangular pediment. Inside the courtyard, on the left side, a pair of basket-handle arches rests on three Doric columns. The main building's window openings are framed in granite and separated by narrow mullions, while the corner of the right wing combines two larger arches with a smaller one to form the entrance. Upstairs, the windows are capped with small granite pediments carved with volutes — a decorative touch typical of Limoges townhouse architecture from the early 17th century.

Who occupies the building today?

The French state has owned the property since March 3, 1971, when it was purchased to house one of three Limousin sites of the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) for Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The building also hosts a branch of the National Office for War Veterans (ONAC) for the Haute-Vienne department. Since September 16, 1949, its facades, the fireplace in the grand salon, and the cellars have been listed as protected historic monuments.

Can visitors go inside?

Because the mansion functions as a working government office, its interior isn't open to casual visitors. Anyone exploring the Château district, though, can view the street facade freely and, depending on access on any given day, glimpse the courtyard, which holds the site's most elaborate decorative features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hôtel Maledent de Savignac de Feytiat a hotel where you can stay overnight? No. It's a 17th-century historic townhouse that now houses regional government offices — it offers no lodging.

Where does the building's name come from? From the Maledent du Puytison de Feytiat family, related by marriage to founder Pierre Hardy, who lived in the house until the French Revolution.

Where exactly is the building located? At 6 rue Haute-de-la-Comédie, in the historic Château district at the center of Limoges.

Is the building protected as a heritage site? Yes. Since 1949, its facades, the grand salon fireplace, and the cellars have been listed on France's register of historic monuments.