Hôtel d’Assézat

You must have heard of woad, the blue plant which, when crushed, can be used to dye textiles a beautiful pastel-blue color. Think of it as the blue gold! It made its mark in the Renaissance, adorning the kings of France. Toulouse, particularly its merchants, quickly prospered, and the architecture followed suit, as great architects built sumptuous townhouses for the wealthy merchants. Before you stands one of the finest examples, the Hôtel d’Assézat, built by the architect Nicolas Bachelier, who also designed the Hôtel Bagis. It’s a true jewel of the classical Renaissance. Enter the magnificent main courtyard, leading up to the two sublime façades. Brick courtyard, stone decorations and three levels of elevation incorporating elements of all three classical Greek orders: the Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian. Alongside the Square Court of the Louvre, this courtyard is considered one of the earliest examples of French classicism. The hotel was bequeathed to the city in 1895 and today houses the Bemberg Foundation, exhibiting the private art collection of the Argentine collector-patron Georges Bemberg.