Neither listed nor classified, this imposing mansion is a miraculous survivor of the Second World War. During the Liberation battles in Provence, because of its strategic position on the banks of the Rhône, Tarascon was badly hit by Allied air raids and a fifth of its surface area was destroyed. The entire section of the town between the railway station and the bridge over the Rhône was razed to the ground. The “Cours National” - pronounced "course” by locals - developed in 1862 in the Provençal tradition as a vast space for leisure, socialising and shopping, was not spared. Rumour has it that in the 18th century, the untouched mansion housed members of the family of the explorer and naval officer Jean-François de Lapérouse, earning it for a time the nickname "Hôtel de Lapérouse". However, this story has never been documented. Apparently, the name of the family who originally built this edifice has been lost forever in the arcane of Provençal history. The mansion was probably sold as national property to local merchants during the French Revolution; these and others who followed ran it as a commercial and residential rental building with shops on the ground floor throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. Today, the ground floor houses business premises which have replaced the reception rooms of the past. The outbuildings served as a coaching inn for the Vallabrègues stagecoach between the 17th and 19th centuries. They have been converted into various premises, flats, a garage and a warehouse flat which extends under the perfectly restored vaulted ceiling of the former stables. The building complex - mansion and extensions - has five independent entrances opening onto the courtyard and a small perpendicular street, taking up its corner and a good part of its length.

The mansion

The classical three-level facade hides thirty-two rooms and is extended by a later horizontal single-storey extension. On each floor, there are five tall windows opening onto the courtyard. The central bay with a French window, transom and balcony supported by S-shaped brackets, originally the only projecting element of the upper floor, was extended at the beginning of the 20th century by a twin structure on the second floor. A third floor, invisible from the street, crowns the ensemble.
The windows on the upper floors are protected by Arles-style two-leaf shutters, while those on the ground floor are protected by folding shutters and iron spearhead security grilles.
An oak door with a stained glass transom and ogival and castellated ironwork provides access to the mansion.

The ground floor
The camera-guarded entrance door opens onto a vast hallway with marble flooring. Towards the back, a monumental stone staircase adorned with a wrought iron banister with ogival and castellated motifs leads to the first floor. To the left of the flight of steps, protected by a door that gives nothing away, is a covered and heated swimming pool, with thick walls, vaulted ceiling and paved floor, all of stone, which opens onto the enclosed garden. At the back, the hallway leads to a discreet access to the garden and to an indoor lift, which directly serves the second floor. The doors to the business premises, to the right and left of the entrance door, have been closed off to ensure the peace and quiet of the inhabitants. They have been replaced by separate entrances from the street.
The first floor
Currently consisting of one single flat with generous volumes, accessed by two landing doors, it could be divided into several separate flats to restore the original configuration. In addition, it adjoins the first floor of the horizontal annex, which extends over approx. 124 m² not included in the surface areas detailed below. It has retained some striking features of the original mansion such as the Italian-style terrazzo floors, a balcony overlooking the boulevard and ceilings over 5 m high. A double sitting room with a fireplace adorned by stucco moulding and a contemporary-style double dining room open onto the courtyard. A spacious and very well-appointed kitchen, equipped to the highest standards, service areas and a master bedroom with bathroom and whirlpool bath take up the rest of the flat, excluding the extension in the annex building. The other bedrooms are located in the annex on the same level. On the garden side, a large terrace follows on from the fitted kitchen. Thanks to its protective awning and sheltered kitchenette, it offers an ideal setting for al fresco dining during the summer months.
The second floor
A closed lift provides exclusive access to this level from the ground floor. It leads directly to an independent flat, which extends over the entire floor. A vast dining room with exposed ceiling beams painted with botanical motifs opens onto the courtyard, while the double sitting room with fireplace and a long library wall opens onto the garden terrace. The lift leads to the fitted kitchen, which extends out to the terrace, forming a summer dining area. A large study and two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms on the garden side complete the first floor. One of these features a panelled alcove and the other a whirlpool bath.
The third floor
The former attic in the roofspace has been raised to create the last floor. Parts of this level have been converted into a linen room, various technical rooms and a small workshop. Three attics adjoining a large area of lost roof space remain to be converted as required.

The horizontal annex

Erected on the courtyard and forming an angle with the adjacent street, a single-storey extension adjoins the mansion. It follows the classical style of the mansion. The annex comprises a large vaulted office space on the ground floor, probably dating from before the 17th century, a flat on the first floor, which is the twin of the one on the first floor of the mansion, and a large independent area.
A projecting balcony with a wrought-iron railing runs along its entire length.

The ground floor
Business premises of approx. 300 m² can be accessed through a large sandblasted-glass and brushed-metal door, in compliance with accessibility requirements. It features a series of quadripartite vaults, probably the remains of a pre-existing building dating back to the end of the 16th century. Recently sympathetically restored, the premises are currently occupied by a radiology practice. It is rented out for €3,400 per month.
The first floor
A flat of approx. 124 m², extending the mansion flat on the same level, forms a harmonious ensemble with its twin. A huge room completes the flat, formerly used for business purposes. A split into three flats with separate entrances could be envisaged.