Place du Bourg

Here you are on Place du Bourg, one of the historic hearts of Rodez. In the Middle Ages, this square belonged to the Counts of Rodez, standing in rivalry with the neighboring Cité, which was under the bishops’ control. This was the beating heart of trade: fairs, markets, and shops brought prosperity to the Bourg, and the fine bourgeois houses still standing today bear witness to that wealth. The tradition lives on with the weekly markets held every Wednesday and Saturday, bringing the square back to life as a bustling commercial hub.

In front of you is the House of the Annunciation, built in 1554 by a wealthy merchant. Its design blends Gothic and Renaissance elements, with mullioned windows, a corner turret, and most strikingly the bas-relief that gives the house its name: an Annunciation scene carved in the 16th century. Like many merchants’ homes, it combined a shop on the ground floor with living quarters above—a symbol of Rodez’s thriving trade.

If you take the street to your left, you’ll come across another Renaissance treasure: the House of Armagnac. Built in the 1520s and 1530s, it takes its name from the former castle of the Counts of Armagnac that once stood nearby. With its graceful façade and intricate carvings, it is considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance civic architecture in Rodez. Together, these houses, the market, and the square itself tell the story of the city’s commercial golden age in the 16th century.