Les hôtels particuliers

Some of these private mansions open the doors of their gardens and cellars during the European Heritage Days in September, so don't hesitate to visit them then!

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the town's notables built some remarkable town houses, the façades of which you can admire in the cobbled streets in the heart of the town. Hôtel Germain, place Gérard de Nerval This mansion is named after Jacques Germain, the King's secretary in 1608. The classical-style building, remodelled in the 18th century, alternates rectangular and circular dormers under a curved pediment, topped by a fire pot, with large French windows. It is set in parklands surrounded by a splendid wall with juxtaposed spirals and pierced by a noble portal with bossing and pilasters, in the form of a triumphal arch. Two superb cellars remain in place of the 13th and 14th century buildings, the first having been used as a quarry and the second vaulted at the end of the 13th century. Hôtel d'Hérivaux, rue de la Chancellerie This house is wrongly called the Hôtel de la Chancellerie, because one of its inhabitants, Henri de Marle, was Chancellor of France in the early 15th century. Its Renaissance façade, altered in the 18th century, features a central pilaster incorporating Doric capitals on the ground floor, Ionic capitals on the first floor and Corinthian capitals on the second. Two corner towers frame the façade, with a symmetrical window at the top accentuating the impression of height. Hôtel du Haubergier, rue du Haubergier A three-storey brick and stone residence dating from the early 16th century, listed as a historic monument. From the street, you can admire the gargoyles under the roof, as well as a corner niche containing a small statue and chimeras. In 1926, the hotel became a museum, housing the collections of the Senlis Society of History and Archaeology until they were transferred in 1982 to the former bishop's palace, now the Museum of Art and Archaeology. It has now reverted to private ownership. Chantrerie Saint-Rieul, place Mauconseil This former canons' residence, known to the people of Senlis as "la Grande Chantrerie", has some very fine 14th-century Gothic rooms. The building is topped by a 16th-century turret with a conical roof. Hôtel de Cornouaille, rue du chat Haret The former canonical house of Sainte-Anne (from 1359 to 1582), also known as the Hôtel de la Marine, belonged to the de Cornouaille family in 1626. The two-storey building was rebuilt in the 17th century, with a Mansard roof pierced by small dormer windows with triangular and curved pediments. The Cornouaille coat of arms surmounts the main door and an antique-style vessel topped by a crown can be seen on the hotel's gable. Other private mansions are also worth a visit: the Hôtel Saint-Simon, the Hôtel de la Londe, the Hôtel de l'Ange...

• Guided tour: no
• Free visit: no