- 2 Pl. du Change, 69005 Lyon
- What you see
- What you need to know
The Maison Thomassin is one of the oldest houses in Lyon, named after the Thomassin family, an old and prosperous bourgeois family who made their fortune in the drapery trade. This historic house, enlarged by Claude Thomassin, Captain of the City and Curator of the Fairs, features a 14th-century Gothic façade adorned with mullioned windows topped by trefoil and pointed arches. Each of the four arches bears a coat of arms, reflecting the history of the house, from the Dauphin to King Charles VIII and Duchess Anne of Brittany.
The interior of the house also reveals historical treasures, such as the wooden ceiling discovered in 1968, painted with the arms of the Fuers and Saint-Louis, dating back to among the oldest painted ceilings in France.
This residence has been a privileged witness to the great families of Lyon, from the Fuers who originally had it built to the Thomassin family. Strategically located on the Place du Change, a place animated by the city's annual fairs from the 13th to the 15th centuries, the Thomassin House has experienced periods of prosperity and transformation, as evidenced by its diverse architecture.
- Archive images
- The disappeared Ruette des Bestes
- Listed building
As you can see (see photo), the architecture of the fourth bay on the right is different from the others. In the 19th century, the last coat of arms, located on the far right, was added to the facade. This extension was built on a section that did not exist in the original structure of the house. This additional part was taken from a passageway open to the public, known as '‘Bestes' alley’, which served as an access route to the Saône from the Place du Change. It is likely that this "uncontrolled" extension is responsible for the imbalance observed at the gate (see photo) and the transom of number 3 on the square, located at the corner of the house.
Listed in the Inventory of Historical Monuments since 1927 and classified as a Historical Monument in 1992, this house is a true heritage treasure. Its facade reveals fascinating details, from the signs of the zodiac on the first floor to the royal coats of arms and the 19th-century additions, testifying to its adaptation over time.
