Maison Thomassin (Thomassin House), Lyon

When it comes to Thomassin House, standing proudly on Exchange Square, history doesn’t whisper on it — it practically clears its throat and begins a long story. This is one of the oldest buildings in the neighbourhood, and it has earned this title honestly.

Back in the Middle Ages, Exchange Square was the beating heart of Lyon’s textile trade. Three or four major fairs were held here every year, attracting merchants from France, Italy, and the Netherlands. Deals were struck, fortunes were made, and among the families counting their profits were the Thomassins.

In 1493, they purchased a house that had already been standing on the square since 1298 — because when you’re doing well in business, you don’t always build new, you upgrade. The Thomassins gave the building a Gothic makeover, adding those elegant vertical lines and decorative details that still catch the eye today.

Later times could not resist leaving their own mark either. The 18th and 20th centuries brought further renovations, including first-floor mullioned windows topped with a frieze of the Zodiac signs — a kind of medieval astrology meeting merchant ambition... Twin bays of windows were framed with delicate trefoil arches, and above them rose a pointed ogival arch displaying carved coats of arms.

Looking closely, you can't help spotting the symbols of power: the Dauphin — literally a dolphin, representing the heir to the French throne — alongside the emblem of King Charles VIII, shown as a lily flower, and Queen Anne of Brittany, symbolized by an ermine. It’s almost like a stone résumé carved into the façade, announcing connections, loyalty, and prestige.

And yet, for all the architectural drama outside, the real treasure is hidden within. What survives from the original 13th-century house is a painted wooden ceiling on the first floor, uncovered during renovations in 1964. Decorated with the coats of arms of Saint Louis, his mother Blanche de Castille, and the Fuers — the building’s earliest known owners — it is one of the oldest surviving painted ceilings in France.

So, as you stand here, remember: this old house is a witness to trade fairs, royal symbols, ambitious merchants, and centuries of careful reinvention — all layered behind one very confident façade.