Castel Flamand

Introducing the Castel Flamand, aka the Flemish Castle – a grand Vichy mansion with a captivating history. Towering over the street, it stands out with its striking red façade adorned with intricate, albeit asymmetrical, details. Built in 1898 by architect Ernest Mizard, this “Flemish Castle” truly lives up to its name. It welcomed and accommodated spa-goers since day one, thanks to Louis Collet, the former head waiter at the nearby Hôtel des Ambassadeurs. Fully staffed, equipped with stables, and offering gourmet meals, comfortable rooms, and modern amenities like electricity and running water, the Castel Flamand catered to its wealthy clientele, exactly as advertised in the “Guide for Foreigners” back then. At first glance, it looks as if the building consists of two twin houses, built in the Flemish neo-Renaissance architectural style seen in northern Europe. The red bricks, limestone ornamentation, and mullioned windows are reminiscent of the grand façades of buildings on the Grote Markt, the central market squares in Belgium. From the ground floor up, there were kitchens, reception rooms and bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. There were also two roof lanterns, now replaced by a flat roof. The reason for this was a terrible fire due to a short circuit in December 1933. The fire department was quick to intervene, but, unfortunately, it was unable to contain the flames. You see, the water in their hoses froze due to the cold winter weather. Abandoned for many years, the Castel Flamand reopened its doors between 1940 and 1944, as headquarters for the PTT, the French administration of postal services and telecommunications, and the Caisse d’épargne, a group of French savings banks. It also housed the local financial administration offices. However, it soon became clear that the building wasn’t right for this new purpose. It was very cold inside, like all houses in the city during winter. And let’s just say that the makeshift office spaces, with boards on former bathtubs as desks, weren’t exactly the best. After the war, the property was sold to a Parisian banker who never set foot here. Then, in 1966, it was bought by the husband of Michèle London, the current owner, who set up his ENT practice on the ground floor. Quite the journey for this Vichy landmark, listed as a historical monument since 1991.