Hôtel de Bagis, Toulouse

The Hôtel de Bagis is a Renaissance palace which is the former property of Jean de Bagis. In 1533, he bought five buildings – part of a complex with a Renaissance-style courtyard in the middle – and had it transformed by 1537 into a beautiful palace with the help of the famous Toulouse architect, Nicolas Bachelier.

The overall construction took place in three stages and was completed only in 1857 by the then owner, Calvet-Besson.

The palace is also known as the Hôtel de Clary, after François de Clary who acquired the property in 1608, and at whose request the monumental façade was erected – between 1609 and 1616. The locals, in turn, call it the Hôtel de Pierre (“stone palace”) for the same spectacular stone façade (unique in Toulouse at that time), created by the architect Pierre Souffron (another reason for the nickname).

As for the richly sculptured decoration – pilasters, trophies of arms, garlands, and fruits, – it was added only in 1855, after the originals, by François de Clary, were hammered off during the French Revolution.

The door of the Atlanteans, long attributed to Nicolas Bachelier (1538), was recently identified as being from the early 17th century. The interior of the palace has painted ceilings and a monumental fireplace, designed by Nicolas Bachelier also.

The palace has been a listed historical monument since 1889.