Maison du 15 rue Bourgmayer

The house at 15 rue Bourgmayer sits in the historic core of Bourg-en-Bresse, a short walk from the Brou monastery, and it draws attention less for its exterior than for what happened inside it. Visitors exploring the old town's mix of townhouses often stop here after learning about the building's literary-historical footnote.

What makes this address notable?

On 12 September 1909, French lawyer and politician Ernest Pinard died in this house. Pinard served as public prosecutor during the Second Empire and is remembered today mainly for two landmark 19th-century obscenity trials: he prosecuted Gustave Flaubert over "Madame Bovary" and Charles Baudelaire over "Les Fleurs du Mal." Both cases are still cited in literary history as examples of state censorship clashing with fiction and poetry, which keeps Pinard's name in circulation long after his death. The fact that his life ended at this particular address is the main reason the house is singled out from its neighbors on the same street.

What exactly is protected as a historic monument?

Rather than the whole facade, French heritage authorities protect a single interior feature here: the staircase and its wrought-iron railing. This element was listed as a monument historique on 10 September 1947. Partial listings like this are common along rue Bourgmayer and in similar Bresse townhouses, where 19th-century craftsmanship inside a building was often judged more valuable than the plain street facade.

Can visitors go inside?

No. The building remains a private residence, so the protected staircase is not open to the public. What travelers can see is the street-facing facade while walking through the old town.

How do you get there, and what else is nearby?

Rue Bourgmayer runs through central Bourg-en-Bresse, close to other listed buildings on the same short street: number 17, a Renaissance-era house built around a small courtyard, and number 13, a former private mansion (hôtel particulier) commissioned in 1771. The house at number 15 sits at approximately 46.2057 N, 5.2225 E, making the street an easy stop on foot for anyone touring the historic center.

Frequently asked questions

Is the house at 15 rue Bourgmayer open to visitors? No, it is a private home. Only the exterior can be viewed from the street.

What part of the building is legally protected? Just the staircase and its wrought-iron railing, listed as a historic monument since 10 September 1947 — not the facade or the rest of the structure.

Who was Ernest Pinard? A French lawyer and politician of the Second Empire, best known for prosecuting Flaubert and Baudelaire in obscenity trials. He died in this house in 1909.

Are there other historic buildings on the same street? Yes. Number 17 is a 16th-century Renaissance house, and number 13 was a private mansion built in 1771.