Place du Général Resnier

Place du Général Resnier is one of the historic squares in the upper town of Angoulême. Its appeal lies as much in its urban development as in its location on the edge of the plateau overlooking the Charente Valley.

History

Originally, the site was part of a very dense medieval urban fabric. Until the early 20th century, it was not a large square but rather a tangle of streets and built-up blocks, situated between the city walls and the former Saint-Michel Hospital, founded in 1371 and later abandoned in the 17th century due to unsanitary conditions.

The current square emerged from major urban planning projects carried out between 1922 and 1923, when several old city blocks were demolished in order to:

• improve ventilation in the neighborhood, in line with the health concerns of the time;
• to facilitate traffic flow;
• to open up views toward the ramparts and the surrounding landscape.

Archaeological excavations conducted prior to the redevelopment work uncovered:

• a vaulted cellar dating from the modern or contemporary periods;
• the remains of an old cobblestone street that disappeared when the square was created;
• structures attesting to the former urban land division.

Why the name “General Resnier”?

The square pays tribute to General André Guillaume Resnier de Goué (1729–1811), an officer of the French Revolution who became famous in Angoulême for his aeronautical experiments.

In 1801, at over 70 years old, he built a flying machine made of wire, taffeta, and feathers. From the ramparts of Angoulême, he glided for about 300 meters before crashing and breaking his leg. This feat earned him the nickname “Flying General.” A commemorative plaque now marks this event.

Architecture

The square displays a look characteristic of early 20th-century urban planning.

Its main building is the former fire station, built in 1931 by the departmental architect Roger Baleix. The building features a sober Art Deco style:

• bold geometric forms;
• a symmetrical façade;
• a monumental composition suited to a public function;
• use of local limestone.

This architecture makes a strong impression at the south entrance to the square and is one of the finest examples of 1930s municipal architecture in Angoulême.

Urban Heritage

The square features several notable heritage elements:

• an orientation map that helps visitors understand the landscape of the Charente Valley and identify Angoulême’s main landmarks;
• privileged views of the old ramparts;
• nearby, on Rue des Acacias, you can still see an old house with a corbelled gable, known as the Maison des archers du guet, which may date back to the 17th century.
• a setting composed of 19th- and 20th-century buildings that illustrate the transformations of the historic city.

It is also located within Angoulême’s Remarkable Heritage Site, which benefits from special protection designed to preserve the architectural and landscape quality of the historic center.

A place of transition between city and landscape

Today, Place du Général Resnier plays a unique role in the city’s fabric:

• it serves as a hub connecting the old streets of the plateau;
• it opens up views toward the Charente Valley;
• it serves as a reminder of the transformation of a dense medieval city into a modern city concerned with public health, traffic flow, and the enhancement of its heritage.

Thus, this site encapsulates several centuries of Angoulême’s urban history: from medieval ruins to the major construction projects of the 1920s, through the Art Deco architecture of the 1930s and the contemporary revitalization of its heritage.