Maison Ronade

The oldest secular building in Salers, the Maison Ronade is a squat Romanesque structure that predates the rest of the village by three or four centuries. The thick walls, narrow windows, and rounded arch of the doorway give it a fortress-like character that stands apart from the more elaborate Renaissance mansions surrounding it.

You can walk past it on any stroll through the old town — it sits just off the main square. The exterior is fully visible from the street and worth pausing at for the contrast it provides with its later neighbours.

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A story
The Maison Ronade is sometimes called the House of the Templars, though the connection to the Knights Templar is more legend than history. What is certain is that the building dates from the 12th century — making it the oldest structure in Salers by several hundred years, and one of the very few surviving Romanesque domestic buildings in the Auvergne.