31 place des Marais
69400 Villefranche-sur-Saône
Very reworked in the 11th century, the courtyard has several small sculptures
This private mansion, which can be entered from the Place des Marais, near the collegiate church, bears the name of the owners who had it built in the 16th century: the Gayands.
To discover the beauty of this building, cross the Morgon and enter the courtyard surrounded by several buildings. At the entrance to the stair turret, you can admire the pointed arch, unique in the town, the beautiful torso column and the magnificent sculpted ribbed crossbeams. Under the Italian-style gallery, all the power of the family is expressed through the sculpted elements. On one side, a phoenix emerges from a shell, while a mermaid is depicted on the eastern façade. The decoration is reminiscent of the sea, perhaps because in old French "gayand" means sea bird.