Origins 1655
Maison de Maître property of Maître Nicolas Debard, Advocate.
Convent 1655
Maître Debard sells the Mansion to the religious order of Prieuré de Saint-Julien sur Dheune.
Le Roi Soleil 1673
King Louis XIV better known as the Sun King, the creator of Versailles issued written orders for the Sisters to join the nuns of Abbey of Rougement, near Dijon.
Mayor of Autun 1731
The Mayor of Autun Nicolas-Jean Barrault exchanged contracts to buy the Convent from the Abbesse de Saint-Julien, Françoise-Eléonore Rabutin at a price of 6,000 livres on behalf of the town.
Royal Mail
The former Convent became successively an Orphanage, Coaching Inn with shops and what are now the garages served as public stables.
Hotel Saint Louis King Louis IX 1744
The Coaching Inn is renamed HOTEL SAINT LOUIS on the specific instructions of the reigning King of France, Louis XV to commemorate King Louis IX of France who was canonised in 1297.
Napoleon and Joseph Bonaparte
Napoleon and his brother Joseph were educated at the elite Grammar School founded in 1709 by the Jesuits and now known as Lycée Bonaparte.
The Emperor Napoleon And his wife The Empress Josephine
During the reign of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, a luxury Suite was installed at the Hotel St. Louis with two separate imperial mahogany beds to accommodate His Majesty as and when required. Recorded stays at the Hotel include those of
The Suite Napoleon
Most of the Furniture of the Suite is original, in particular the two separate mahogany beds of the Imperial couple. The integrity of the Suite has been carefully restored by experts from the Lycée Bonaparte in Autun.
The Duke Of Orleans 1832
His Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans stayed at the Hotel St. Louis in the Napoleon Suite. Following a visit to the Rolin Museum, he received the Town Council and Military Officers of Autun and hosted a dinner in the restaurant for 50 guests.
George Sand 1836
The famous writer George Sand stayed at the Hotel St. Louis with her two children. In a riposte some months later she expressed her indignation at being slighted by insensitive comments made by the Aristocracy of Autun.
HRH the Queen Christine of Portugal 1841
Her Royal Highness Queen Christine of Portugal stayed at the Hotel St. Louis on her stopover in Autun while on the way to Paris. The next day she attended mass and was greeted by the Governor and the Mayor. She was accompanied by a treasurer, two secretaries, a doctor and a Lady-in-Waiting.
Le Comte de Paris 1873
Yet another visit at the Hotel St. Louis by a Prince of Royal blood, Monseigneur le Comte de Paris, accompanied by one of his friends stayed overnight in the Suite Napoleon visiting the Cathedral the following day.
Paris-Nice Guide Michelin 1900-2000
The Hotel St. Louis celebrates yet another century. The first Guide Michelin in 1900 recommends the Hotel Restaurant St. Louis for overnight accommodation on the famous Paris-Nice road that attracted motorists from all over the world. This old Napoleonic road is still today an enjoyable route away from the monotony and boredom of modern motorways.
Grand Hotel St. Louis 1906
The new owner of the Hotel St. Louis updates its decor and facilities and it is renamed Grand Hotel in keeping with its luxurious amenities.
SIEGEL glass Vitrines
The 9 exclusive SIEGEL glass display cabinets which adorn the Hotel are unique and date from the 1920s.
Only the Hotel Crillon in Paris has 4 of the same cabinets.
Wine Cellars
The wine cellars of the Hotel date back to before the Hotel was built in 1655 and could possibly be of Gallic-Roman-Medieval origin according to recent research by the Town Architect.
Garage ceiling
The garage of the Hotel is also quite unique in that it is adorned with publicity of local traders from the 1920s.
Complete Renovation 1997
The Hotel Restaurant Bar St. Louis is completely renovated and modernised with en suite bathrooms, direct dial room telephones and Internet connections. State of the art fire and security systems and easily accessible external access staircases are installed to supplement the large marble staircase in the Hall. To retain the historic authenticity of the overall architecture it was decided not to install an elevator as in any case the Hotel is built over only two floors.
Four Stars Hotel 1997
Renovated in the tradition of its 350 years of age the Hotel is re-opened as a Four Star Hotel.
Restaurant frescos 1997
The owner commissioned a famous Mexican Artist Painter to design and paint unique ceiling frescos in the Dining Room. It took six months of full-time work to complete. The artist is well renowned for his work in European Cathedrals.
Hotel de Charme 2003
The new owner repositions the Saint Louis as a Hotel de Charme while retaining the elegance, ambiance and style of its previous owner.
Felix Leisinger EQUAL EARTH 2005
The founder of the worldwide Equal Earth Philosophy Felix Leisinger takes over the Hotel Restaurant St. Louis. You are welcome to inform yourself about the Equal Earth Philosophy and how to save the planet by looking up his website www.equalearth.org
Non-Smoking Hotel
Felix Leisinger declares the Hotel Restaurant and Bar St. Louis a non-smoking zone. Since 1991 the French Evin Law prohibits smoking in public places. Regrettably there are always some people who ignore the law despite the fact that they know that tobacco endangers the health of smokers as much as non-smokers. Moreover the tobacco plantations could be used to grow wheat or rice for the starving in the world. Unfortunately tobacco is so toxic for the soil that it takes more than 30 years of recuperation until food can safely be grown in the same soil. To reduce this real danger for the health of all, Felix Leisinger requests that his Guests respect the law, their health and the health of everybody else.
Today
Today the Hotel St. Louis in the heart of Autun in the centre of Burgundy in France offers 38 large rooms of which 10 “Napoleon” Suites including the elegant, private Imperial Suite where the Emperor personally stayed on many occasions. All the rooms have been fully modernised with bathrooms/showers and WC. Direct Dial Telephones with Internet connection have been installed in every room. There is private parking. The gourmet restaurant and its fine Burgundy wines, the Bar Americain and its cocktails and apéritifs, the function room, the Terrasse and peaceful surroundings as much as the ambiance, elegance and charm of its prestigious past invite you to an enjoyable stay in this historic Hotel.
HOTEL RESTAURANT BAR SAINT LOUIS ET DE LA POSTE
6 rue de l’Arbalète, 71400 Autun, Bourgogne, France
E-mail : reservation@hotelsaintlouis.net - www.hotelsaintlouis.net
