The Hôtel de Wicque contains one of the finest Renaissance courtyards in the Languedoc — a double arcade with carved pilasters that manages to feel both rigorous and decorative. The facade on the street gives little away, which is part of the point: these hôtels particuliers were built to impress through revelation, the plain exterior giving way to the courtyard, and the courtyard giving way to formal gardens behind.
The building is currently home to artisan workshops and galleries, which means the gate is often open during shop hours. Walk in without ceremony — that is what the space is for. The stonework on the upper arcade is particularly good, and the proportions are balanced in a way that photographs cannot quite capture.