Acrobats’ House

Are we in Alsace or the Loire Valley? Truth is, this beautiful building on your left might throw you off a bit. This half-timbered beauty is one of the oldest houses in town, and is much photographed by passers-by. It may seem rather ordinary at first glance, but take the time to admire it in all its detail, and you’ll see how special it really is. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Even if you can’t go inside, you should definitely stop by to admire its facade. If you look closely, you’ll see the little wooden acrobats in all sorts of poses – hence the name of the building. It’s for this very detail that the Acrobats’ House is seen as one of the city’s architectural gems. According to some research, the clothing of these characters, inspired by fairy tales and fables, has helped us trace the origins of the house back to well before 1470. You see, it was built during the reign of Louis XI. It was originally called the “Bourmoyen Scholars’ House” and was later renamed “Asme Vert” in 1504. Pay close attention to the shoes of the little acrobats who seem to be having fun, jumping and dancing all over the place. These are actually poulaines, shoes from the Middle Ages that were also used to dance the moresque. The latter was a famous medieval dance that was even performed in the streets. Professional dancers and musicians would flock to towns and squares to get the crowds up and dancing to this lively, two-beat tempo. Now the real question is, who owned the property in the 17th century? Historians who have studied the city from top to bottom agree that the house was inhabited. But by whom? It’s yet another riddle to be solved.