Open your eyes! A magnificent 13-14th century building, the house which today houses the Galerie Jean-Marie Périer is full of surprises.

An ancient story

The village of Villeneuve d'Aveyron developed in the XNUMXth century in the form of rescued. This small rural town built around a monastery was dedicated to the peace of the populations. Two centuries later, the first bastide of Rouergue was created there at the instigation of Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse.

The building that now houses the Galerie Jean-Marie Périer blends in perfectly with this medieval bastide. Positioned northwest of Place des Conques, at the entrance to Rue Pavée, it is one of the most beautiful houses in Villeneuve. Built in the 13th century, its architectural richness and its location show the special role it has played over the centuries.

On the wall of the ground floor, one can admire a sculpted bull's head. This decor suggests that the building was once the Mazel: the medieval butcher's shop. Although there are still uncertainties about it, its location and typical cutlery leave no doubt that it was a business.

Sculpted decoration of the Jean-Marie Périer Gallery

Scenery to contemplate

Keep an eye out during your visit to the Jean-Marie Perier Gallery ! The sculptures and painted decoration of the building reveal the tastes of luxury and the culture of the bourgeoisie who lived there. Chimneys and corners of the walls are adorned with hybrid characters, half-man half-dragons, like the capitals of a cathedral.

In one of the rooms, a starry sky painted on the planks and beams of the ceiling offers a nice contrast with the photos of the Yéyés. Decorated with red and white flowers and fleshy almond-shaped leaves, this decoration is similar to that which covers the vault of a chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher of Villeneuve d'Aveyron and that of the nave of the choir of the church of the Jacobins in Toulouse dating from the fourteenth century.

The house over time

This residence, whose medieval owners are unknown to us, was used for various purposes. After 1790, it became a barracks then acquired in 1954 by the municipality, it will successively house:

  • the post office and the receiver's accommodation from 1979 to 1995;
  • the Syndicat d'Initiative until 2000;
  • The Museum of Popular Arts (Musée Mistral), held by Mrs. Aline Brisebois, which allowed the public to visit this building which contributes to the unique character of the Place des Conques. After its closure in 2014, a function had to be found for it, the conservation of heritage most often passing through its use;
  • the Maison de la Photo Jean-Marie Périer which opened its doors on July 1, 2015 and then merged with the tourist office in 2022. This hybrid place became the Galerie Jean-Marie Périer in 2023.

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