Maison des Consuls

Maison des Consuls is a 15th-century Gothic townhouse on the banks of the Isle river in Périgueux, part of the row of riverside houses known as the Quais des Tins in the old town.

Where exactly is it, and how do you spot it?

The building stands at 16 boulevard Georges-Saumande, on the right bank of the Isle, within the protected historic sector of central Périgueux. It sits right between Maison Lambert and Hôtel Salleton, and together the three form one of the most photographed stretches of the city's riverfront. Before the 1860s, when the imperial road from Paris to Barèges was cut through the area, the only approach to the house was directly from the river side.

Why is it called the "consuls' house" if no consul ever lived there?

This is where visitors usually get confused. The name implies a link to Périgueux's medieval city government, but the actual seat of the consulate stood at Place du Coderc, not here. So where did the name come from? The historical record doesn't give a clean answer — most likely it attached itself to the house later, part of a local tradition linking grand merchant houses to the city's ruling families, whether or not the connection was literal.

What makes the architecture worth a stop?

The river-facing façade is a textbook example of Flamboyant Gothic, the late-medieval French style known for its flame-like tracery. Look for the row of machicolations along the top — stone projections with openings that were originally defensive, here purely decorative — topped by a gallery walkway resting on wooden posts. Below, mullioned windows divide the openings into narrow vertical panels, while two dormer windows in the same flamboyant idiom break up the roofline; one of them is carved with chimeras. On the courtyard side, a hexagonal turret houses a spiral staircase — a common feature in wealthier merchant houses of the period, used to keep circulation separate from the main living rooms.

Can you go inside?

Not in any regular sense. Maison des Consuls is privately owned, and in the 2010s it was converted into high-end residential units. There are no opening hours, guided tours, or tickets for the interior. What you can see is the exterior — especially the river façade — best viewed from the Isle's quayside or from the opposite bank, which gives the classic postcard view of the whole row of Quais houses.

How does it fit into Périgueux's broader story?

Périgueux is a city with layered history, from the Roman town of Vesunna to the medieval episcopal quarter around Saint-Front cathedral. The riverside district, with houses like Maison des Consuls, Maison Lambert, and Hôtel Salleton, tells a different chapter: the late medieval and early Renaissance period, when wealthy merchants built showcase homes close to the water, then the city's main trade and transport artery.

Frequently asked questions

Was Maison des Consuls ever the seat of Périgueux's city government? No. Despite the name, the consulate was based at Place du Coderc, not in this building.

How old is the house? It dates from the 15th century and is built in the Flamboyant Gothic style typical of that era in France.

Is it a protected historic monument? Yes, it has been listed as a historic monument since 1889.

Can visitors enter the building? No — it's a private residence following a 2010s conversion into luxury housing, with no regular public access. You can only admire the façades from outside, best seen from along the Isle riverbank.