Hôtel de ville de Paray-le-Monial (Maison Jayet)
A cloth merchant's Renaissance house, its façade covered with carved medallions, now the town hall.
- Heritage site
- 1 h 19 from Beaune
- Allow 10 to 15 minutes
- Paray-le-Monial
€285one way from Beaune with a private driver
At a glance
- Official website
- tourisme-paraylemonial.fr
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 1 h 19 by road (109 km), €285 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About the place
On the main square of Paray-le-Monial stands a Renaissance house whose façade is carved from the ground floor to the dormers. It was built for a rich cloth merchant, Pierre Jayet, and has been the town hall since the 19th century. Only the outside can be seen, but the façade alone is worth the stop.
What you will see
Stand back on the square to take in the whole façade. Pilasters and bands of carved stone divide each floor, filled with medallions, shells, small columns and cherubs playing music. Among the portraits, look for Pierre Jayet and his wife, knights, and a series of French kings up to Francis I. Carved dormers with small pinnacles crown the roof. Across the square, the tower of the old church of Saint-Nicolas completes the scene.
History
Pierre Jayet, a merchant who traded in serge, a hard-wearing woollen cloth, had the house built between 1525 and 1528, when he was about 38. He wanted it to show his wealth and standing, and chose the new Renaissance style that was then spreading from the Loire valley. The house is also known as the Maison Jaillet, another spelling of his name.
The town bought the house in 1857 and moved its town hall here from the old church of Saint-Nicolas, across the square. To clear the view of the new town hall and widen the main road, part of that church was then pulled down. The house was classified as a historic monument in 1875, and its roof was rebuilt in 2015.
Planning your visit
Tips for your visit
The town hall is a working office and its rooms are not open to visitors, but the façade can be seen from the square at any time, free of charge. Allow ten to fifteen minutes. It stands in the pedestrian centre, between the basilica and the Musée du Hiéron, so it fits naturally into a walk round the town, together with the Tour Saint-Nicolas opposite.
Around here
What to combine with Hôtel de ville de Paray-le-Monial (Maison Jayet) on the same day, nearest first.
Questions
Hôtel de ville de Paray-le-Monial (Maison Jayet) is about 1 h 19 from Beaune by road (109 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €285 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? During a restoration in 1994, traces of the original paint were found on the carvings, showing that the façade was once coloured.
Sources
Hôtel de ville de Paray-le-Monial (Maison Jayet) with a private driver
€285 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests