Maison de l'Élection

Maison de l'Élection stands among the finest surviving timber-framed townhouses in Troyes, a small but striking landmark tucked into the old town's medieval street grid.

Where to find it in Troyes

Look for the building on rue de la Monnaie, right in the historic core of the city, an easy walk from both the cathedral and the central market square. The house belongs to the district nicknamed the "Bouchon de Champagne" for its cork-shaped street plan, an area that concentrates most of the city's remaining half-timbered facades. What sets this particular house apart is the density and precision of its timber framing, along with upper floors that jut out over the pavement — a corbelled design common to the region's grandest merchant houses.

Why does it carry the name "Élection"

The building went up shortly after a devastating fire swept through Troyes in 1524. It was commissioned by Michel Drouot, a local cloth merchant who later served as mayor of the city between 1536 and 1538. Its present name, however, dates from a century later: in 1628 King Louis XIII acquired the property and turned it into the seat of the Élection, a royal fiscal and judicial body responsible for tax collection and related disputes in that part of France. The institution kept its offices here until 1754, long enough for the name to stick permanently to the building.

What happened to the courtyard tower

On the courtyard side, the house originally featured a distinctive turret enclosing a spiral staircase, capped with its own pitched roof. That structure burned in a fire in 1903 and was never rebuilt in its original form. One piece did survive, though: the lead finial that once crowned the turret's roof, hand-forged and cast, which is now preserved and displayed at the Musée Saint-Loup, one of the city's principal history and art museums.

Can visitors go inside

The Maison de l'Élection has been listed as a monument historique — France's official historic monument register — since 1933, which protects its facade and structural framework from alteration. The building is not run as a museum and has no regular public access to its interior; today it serves private or commercial purposes. Its appeal for visitors lies almost entirely in the exterior: walking the surrounding streets to take in the timber facades is the standard way to experience it.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Maison de l'Élection located? On rue de la Monnaie in the historic center of Troyes, within walking distance of the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral and the "Bouchon de Champagne" district of half-timbered houses.

Why is it called the "House of the Élection"? The name comes from the Élection, a royal tax and judicial office that was headquartered here from 1628, after King Louis XIII purchased the property, until the office was discontinued at this address in 1754.

Can you visit the inside of the building? No. The building has no museum function and is not regularly open to the public inside; visitors typically view the half-timbered facade from the street.

What is the story behind the missing tower? The house originally had a staircase turret on its courtyard side. A fire in 1903 destroyed the turret's roof, though its lead finial survived and is now kept at the Musée Saint-Loup in Troyes.