A majestic visit to the Hôtel d'Assézat

There are many private mansions in Toulouse. The Hôtel d'Assézat is probably one of the most emblematic! This Renaissance-style mansion bears the name of its first owner, Pierre Assézat, one of the most important merchants in the European pastry trade in the 16th century. He quickly became a member of Toulouse's nobility through his marriage, but it was his appointment as Capitoul that crowned his social ascent.

In 1555, he entrusted the construction of his mansion to the famous Toulouse architect Nicolas Bachelier, with the ambition of turning it into a veritable palace in stone and brick. The monumental edifice was the height of his success at the time. Bequeathed to the city of Toulouse in 1895, the hotel later became the home of academies and learned societies, including the Jeux Floraux. A century later, in 1995, part of the building was made available to the Fondation Bemberg.

After many years of collecting all kinds of works of art, paintings, sculptures and furniture, Georges Bemberg, a wealthy Argentinian patron of the arts, created the foundation to share his passion and his collection with the public. Moved by the beauty of this architectural masterpiece, he chose the Hôtel d'Assézat to display his works.

The foundation opened its doors in 1995, loaning almost a thousand works from his private collection to the city of Toulouse. This private mansion, now a museum, has been fitted out as if it were the home of an art lover. On the first floor, you'll find antique Renaissance works from the 17th and 18th centuries.

More modern drawings and paintings are on show on the second floor. Some of the great names in painting are represented, from Degas to Matisse, via Gauguin, Monnet and Vlaminck. An entire room is also devoted to Pierre Bonnard.

Less than 100 metres from the Hôtel d'Assézat, you'll find the 5 Wine Bar, voted best wine bar in the world in 2017, 2018 and 2019! To round off your day of sightseeing in style, we recommend that you discover this place created around wine. You'll find over 1,200 different wines for a unique sensory and taste experience. To accompany your glass of wine, the bar offers tapas or a Market menu, depending on the season.