Logis de la Croix d'Or

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Logis de la Croix d'Or stands at 29 rue Gomot, formerly the rue de Mozat, in the old town centre of Riom. Despite its name, it is a private urban building rather than a seigniorial residence. Its street front, of classical appearance, conceals a Renaissance courtyard that gives the building its real interest. A spiral staircase rises within a hexagonal, faceted projecting tower, and vaulted galleries with ribbed vaults line the courtyard. On the ground floor, a moulded doorway is surmounted by a coat of arms, while the keystone of the arcade bears a monogram of Christ radiant. The ensemble illustrates the type of courtyard with galleries and stair turret found in the wealthy sixteenth-century houses of Riom, at a time when Riom, a town of the robe, was the judicial capital of Auvergne. The courtyard façades have been listed as historic monuments since 9 February 1927; the rest of the building is not protected. The house is privately owned and not open to visitors. Its former function, including any inn that the sign of the Croix d'Or might suggest, is not documented in the sources consulted, nor are its patrons.