Hôtel Dieu

The former Hôtel-Dieu, in Compiègne

The former Hôtel-Dieu of Compiègne, the building of the Saint-Nicolas halls, is a witness of the hospital past of the town. The Compiègne audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this medieval building, a former hospital linked to the work of charity and care of the town.

The former medieval hospital of the town

The building of the Saint-Nicolas halls, which forms the corner between the rue Jeanne-d'Arc and the rue du Grand-Ferré, is the former Hôtel-Dieu of Compiègne. It was built in the twelfth century, on the foundations of an annex of the abbey, testifying to the antiquity of the hospital vocation of the place. For centuries, the Hôtel-Dieu welcomed and cared for the sick, the poor, the pilgrims and the travellers, playing an essential social and charitable role, at a time when these institutions, often linked to the Church, ensured the essential of the assistance to the most deprived. The building, with medieval architecture, is a precious witness of this history of solidarity and care. As in many towns, the hospital evolved over time before its functions were transferred elsewhere, the building keeping the memory of its first vocation. A witness of the hospital past and the spirit of charity of Compiègne, the former Hôtel-Dieu is an interesting stop of the discovery of the town.

What to see

You admire the former Hôtel-Dieu, the building of the Saint-Nicolas halls at the corner of two streets, built in the twelfth century on the foundations of an annex of the abbey, a former hospital that welcomed and cared for centuries for the sick, the poor and the pilgrims, a witness of the hospital past and the spirit of charity of the town. The former Hôtel-Dieu is a witness of the heritage of Compiègne. It is a stop to be discovered, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The former Hôtel-Dieu lies at the corner of the rue Jeanne-d'Arc and the rue du Grand-Ferré, in the heart of Compiègne, reachable on foot. You admire its exterior from the street; the interior access follows its own conditions. You discover it during a walk in the historic centre.

What was the former Hôtel-Dieu of Compiègne?

The former hospital of the town, the building of the Saint-Nicolas halls, built in the twelfth century on the foundations of an annex of the abbey; for centuries, it welcomed and cared for the sick, the poor and the pilgrims, a witness of the hospital past and the spirit of charity of Compiègne.

Where is the former Hôtel-Dieu of Compiègne?

At the corner of the rue Jeanne-d'Arc and the rue du Grand-Ferré, in the heart of Compiègne, in the Oise, in France.