Palais Bénédictine

About

The Benedictine Palace is a building combining neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance styles, built at the end of the 19th century in Fécamp for Alexandre-Prosper Le Grand, trading in spirits and making fortune by inventing and marketing Benedictine liquor. The building was built on the plans of the architect Camille Albert (1852-1942) by the builder Ernest Baron with local materials and techniques. The Palace houses the activity of distillery and its cellars, as well as a museum presenting various collections (worked ivorys, coins, locks, ancient religious paintings...). An exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art was created in 1988.

The palace is a mixture of extravagance and tradition. It was commissioned by Alexandre-Prosper Le Grand who was a great art enthusiast; He wanted to create a hybrid space combining art and industry (hence the nickname "industrial Versailles" given to the palace) and also anchor his liquor in a local monastic tradition. The palace was designed by the architect Camille Albert, an architect from the Hautes-Alpes region, who understood at the same time the wish of Alexandre Le...