Hôtel de Chapelaines, Troyes: Detail, south facade

This is the former site, dating from the 13th century, of the Hôtel de Clairvaux, built for the monks of the well-known Cistercian abbey founded in 1115 by Saint Bernard, 50 km from Troyes. But the Hundred Years War and then the expansion of Protestantism in the 16th century took their toll. Later, the great fire of 1524 decimated the Hôtel de Clairvaux. Nicolas Largentier, from an important family of Troyen dyers, rebuilt it and gave it the name of his castle of Chapelaines (in the Marne). The Renaissance building has a non-rectilinear façade (it angles to fit the space) with finely worked windows, under an open-work balustrade with “fire goblets” (finials).