Place Saint-Jean

Place Saint-Jean and the Hôtel-Dieu

The Guérande audio-guided tour leads you to Place Saint-Jean, dominated by the Hôtel-Dieu, a building so old that the exact date of its construction remains unknown. Its discreet façade keeps the memory of several centuries of welcome and care.

A former religious hospital

The Hôtel-Dieu was a hospital managed by religious, which welcomed and cared for the sick, the poor and pilgrims. A chapel once accompanied it, now disappeared. In 1796, the building was sold to the State and became a military hospital. In the middle of the nineteenth century, a new hospital was built not far to replace it, and the old Hôtel-Dieu served for a time as a school. Restored, it today houses offices and hosts on occasion exhibitions and cultural events.

What there is to see

The former Hôtel-Dieu reveals its old architecture, which invites you to travel in time and to imagine the hospital life of the past. Its façade, on the left of the square, testifies to the long tradition of welcome and care of the city. It is a fine example of the civil and social heritage of Guérande, to be discovered along the walk.

Practical information

Place Saint-Jean and the Hôtel-Dieu are in the medieval city of Guérande. The square is a public space freely accessible at all hours and on the level; the façade of the Hôtel-Dieu can be contemplated from the square. The building, housing offices, opens occasionally during exhibitions, according to a variable schedule.

What was the Hôtel-Dieu of Guérande?

A hospital managed by religious, which welcomed and cared for the sick, the poor and pilgrims.

What does the former Hôtel-Dieu house today?

Restored, it houses offices and hosts on occasion exhibitions and cultural events.