French colonial architecture

French colonial architecture includes several styles of architecture used by the French during colonization. French colonial architecture has a long history, beginning in North America in 1604 and being most active in the Western Hemisphere (Caribbean, Guiana, Canada, Louisiana) until the 19th century, when the French turned their attention more to Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

Many former French colonies, especially those in Southeast Asia, have previously been reluctant to promote their colonial architecture as an asset for tourism; however, in recent times, the new generation of local authorities has somewhat "embraced" the architecture and has begun to advertise it.

In Africa

French Equatorial Africa

In the former French Equatorial Africa, Brazzaville, the capital of Congo, and Douala, the largest city of Cameroon have many French colonial buildings.

File:Hôtel du Commissaire Général du Gouvernement à Brazzaville (Congo et Dépendances).jpg, The headquarters for the French Commissioner General in Brazzaville (circa 1896–1910)
File:Batiment colonial d'époque abritant les services de La Chambre de Commerce d'Industrie de des Mines du Cameroun;.JPG, The Chambre of Commerce in Douala, Cameroon
File:Palais de justice a Douala.JPG, The Palace of Justice in Douala
File:Ancienne résidence du chef de circonscription.jpg, The former residence of the French regional governor in Douala

French North Africa

19th and early 20th-century French colonial architecture is typical of the European districts in former French North African countries including most Algerian and Tunisian cities, as well as Casablanca, Morocco. In the mid-20th-century, Algiers became an important center for Modernist architecture.

File:Notre Dame d'Afrique2.jpg, Notre-Dame d'Afrique basilica, Algiers, Algeria
File:P1020151 (9728164447).jpg, Apartment building in Casablanca, Morocco
File:Algeri04.jpg, Apartment building in Algiers, Algeria
File:Alger Immeuble rue didouche PB280026.JPG, Apartment building on Rue Didouche-Mourad, Algiers, Algeria (formerly Rue Michelet)
File:Algiers The Rue d'Isly (GRI).jpg, Rue d'Isly in Algiers (early 20th century)
File:Alger Lycée Bugeaud.jpg, Lycée Bugeaud in Algiers (early 20th century)

French West Africa

French colonial architecture is found in many large and mid-sized former French West African cities, with a particularly significant concentration in the former capital city, Saint-Louis, Senegal.

File:Colonial Saint Louis.jpg, Rue Lebon in Saint Louis (circa 1900)
File:Saint-Louis maisons coloniales.jpg, Colonial houses in Saint Louis

In Asia

French colonisation of three countries in mainland Southeast Asia—Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, known as Indochina in the 19th and 20th centuries, left a lasting architectural legacy. Most French colonial buildings, now mostly transformed for public use, are located in large urban areas, namely Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), and Phnom Penh (Cambodia).

There are also some colonial buildings were built in China due to French concessions and other interests in the country during 19th and 20th centuries.

Cambodia

* In Phnom Penh:
** Central Market
** Royal Railway Station
** Hotel Le Royal
** National Library of Cambodia
**Villa Picturesque

Unesco Sino-Khmer Villa


File:Central.Post.Office.Poste.Phnom.Penh.1.Cambodge.jpg, Phnom Penh Post Office
File:2009-09-07 09-09 Phnom Penh 034 Train Station-edit.jpg, Phnom Penh Royal Railway Station
File:LeRoyal PP.jpg, Raffles Hotel Le Royal
File:2016 Phnom Penh, Biuro UNESCO (03).jpg, Phnom Penh UNESCO office
File:Disused, but still fairly pristine (14265405650).jpg, Railway station in Battambang
File:2016 Kampot, Muzeum Prowincji Kampot (06).jpg, Building in Kampot

China

* In Beijing:
**
* In Tianjin:
**
**
** Zizhulin Church
* In Shanghai:
**
** Banque de l'Indochine Building, Shanghai
** Saint Joseph's Church, Shanghai
* In Wuhan:
**
* In Guangzhou
** Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, Shamian Island
* In Zhanjiang:
**
**
**

File:原北京东方汇理银行.JPG, Banque de l'Indochine Building, Beijing
File:20150223-法国公议局旧址.jpg, French Municipal Administration Council Building in Tianjin
File:天津东方汇理银行大楼1.jpg, Banque de l'Indochine Building, Tianjin
File:东方汇理银行大楼正立面2021 (1).jpg, Banque de l'Indochine Building, Shanghai
File:Saint-Joseph's church, Shanghai 1.jpg, Saint Joseph's church in Shanghai
File:French Concession building - Shanghai.JPG, An apartment at No.142 West Jianguo Road, Shanghai
File:Shamian Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel 20221223-A.jpg, Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, Shamian Island, Guangzhou
File:Guangzhou Shamian 2012.11.15 10-05-31.jpg, Banque de l'Indochine Building in Shamian Island, Guangzhou
File:Zhanjiang Guangzhouwan Faguo Gongshishu Jiuzhi he Fajun Zhihuibu Jiuzhi 2014.02.27 09-05-29.jpg, Former French Commissioner Residence in Zhanjiang
File:Zhanjiang Guangzhouwan Faguo Gongshishu Jiuzhi he Fajun Zhihuibu Jiuzhi 2014.02.27 09-09-19.jpg, Former French Army Commandantura in Zhanjiang
File:Cathedral of St. Victor.jpg, Our Lady of Victory Cathedral in Zhanjiang

Laos

File:French Colonial House in Luangprabang (1490843210).jpg, A typical colonial house in Luang Prabang
File:VillaColVientiane.jpg, A French-style Arts and Crafts house in Vientiane

Vietnam

Various colonial buildings and constructions have become popular tourist destinations. Major landmarks that have become icons of cities including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City include:

File:Hanoï - Palais du Gouverneur Général.jpg , Hanoi, Presidential Palace
File:Hanoi cau long bien.jpg, Hanoi, Long Biên Bridge
File:Exposition Hanoï 1902 - Grand Palais.jpg, Hanoi, Grand Palais built for the Hanoi Exhibition 1902-1903, destroyed during WWII
File:Hanoi, Vietnam (12036416576).jpg, Hanoi, Tonkin Palace, formerly housing the French governor of Tonkin
File:Hanoi Opera House, 24 December 2016.jpg , Hanoi Opera House modeled on the Palais Garnier in Hanoi
File:Ngân hàng Nhà nước - 2022-09-02 03.jpg, Hanoi, State Bank of Vietnam headquarters in art-deco style
File:Bâtiments_172.jpg, Hanoi, National Museum of Vietnamese History, formerly the first ''École française d'Extrême-Orient''
File:Hotel Metropole Hanoi at night.JPG, Hanoi, a corner of Hôtel Metropole
File:St._Joseph%27s_Cathedral_-_Hanoi,_Vietnam.jpg, Hanoi, St. Joseph's Cathedral resembling Notre Dame de Paris
File:Indochina Medical College.jpg, Hanoi, campus of Indochina Medical College and Université Indochinoise
File:Police station Hoan Kiem.jpg, Hanoi, a local police station in a colonial building by Hoàn Kiếm lake
File:Hanoi Colonial villa.jpg, Hanoi, a French villa in Ba Đình District
File:Hanoi Fatherland Front.jpg, Hanoi, a government office ( Fatherland Front HQ)
File:Ópera, Ciudad Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, 2013-08-14, DD 02.JPG, Ho Chi Minh City, Municipal Theatre
File:Ho Chi Minh City, City Hall, 2020-01 CN-02.jpg, Ho Chi Minh City Hall
File:Ho Chi Minh City, Central Post Office, 2020-01 CN-01.jpg, Ho Chi Minh City, Central Post Office
File:Basílica de Nuestra Señora, Ciudad Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, 2013-08-14, DD 03.JPG, Ho Chi Minh City, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
File:Nhà thờ Cha Tam.jpg, Ho Chi Minh City,
File:Một góc trường Trần Đai Nghĩa ngày nay.jpg, Ho Chi Minh City, Trần Đại Nghĩa High School for the Gifted
File:Dalat_Palace_Hotel.jpg, Dalat Palace Hotel
File:03-OPERA HOUSE.jpg, Haiphong Opera House

In North America

Canada

French settlements in Canada date back to the mid-16th century until the French defeat in Seven Years' War where New France was annexed by the British Crown in 1763 as a result of the Treaty of Paris. The settlements in the regions were extensive, hence the abundant architectural legacy from that period shows itself particularly in Quebec City but also in the city of Montreal, which has a significant Canadien population. Most buildings constructed during the French colonial period utilized a heavy timber frame of logs installed vertically on a sill, '' poteaux-sur-sol'', or into the earth, '' poteaux-en-terre''. An infill of lime mortar or clay mixed with small stones ( pierrotage) or a mixture of mud, moss, and animal hair ( bousillage) was used to pack between the logs. Many times the infill would later be replaced with brick. This method of construction was used in the Illinois Country as well as Louisiana. General characteristics of a French Colonial dwelling included a raised basement which would support the floor of the home's primary living quarters. Exterior stairs were another common element; the stairs would often climb up to a distinctive, full-length veranda or "gallery", on a home's façade. The roof over the veranda was normally part of the overall roof. French Colonial roofs were either a steep hipped roof, with a dormer or dormers, or a side-gabled roof. The veranda or gallery was often accessed via French doors. French Colonial homes in the American South commonly had stuccoed exterior walls.Bigolin, Steve
"The Landmarks of Barb City"
''Daily Chronicle'', 28 February 2005. Retrieved 15 February 2007.

File:Old Quebec (8145449190).jpg, Quebec City presents probably the finest example of urban colonial architecture in North America
File:Quebec City, Old City, Tourist.jpg, Old Quebec (City) was listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1985
File:Le Manoir de Niverville.jpg, The manoir Boucher-De Niverville, located in Trois-Rivières, in Quebec province was built in the mid-17th century
File:Château Ramezay - Montreal, Canada - DSC07372.jpg, The Château Ramezay, is one of the best preserved mansion in Montreal, built in 1705.
File:07175 Maison François-Jacquet-Dit-Langevin - 001.JPG, The Maison François-Jacquet-Dit-Langevin, located in the heart of Old Quebec, was built in 1675.
File:WTMTL T29 DSC00061.JPG, LeBer-LeMoyne House, was an important trading post when it was built in the late 17th century. It is today in historical museum of Montreal.
File:Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec 01.jpg, Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec, started in 1647, is the oldest church in the Americas north of the Spanish colonies in Florida and New Mexico.

United States

French Colonial was one of four domestic architectural styles that developed during the colonial period in what would become the United States. The other styles were Colonial Georgian, Dutch Colonial, and Spanish Colonial. French Colonial developed in the settlements of the Illinois Country and French Louisiana. It is believed to have been primarily influenced by the building styles of French Canada and the Caribbean. It had its beginnings in 1699 with the establishment of French Louisiana but continued to be built after Spain assumed control of the colonial territory in 1763. Styles of building that evolved during the French colonial period include the Creole cottage, Creole townhouse, and French Creole plantation house.

File:UConvent2003Mbtrama.jpg, Ursuline Convent in New Orleans, built c. 1752. It is the oldest-surviving building from the French colonial period in New Orleans. It is an example of stuccoed brick construction.
File:Peyroux House (French Quarter, New Orleans).jpg, Gabriel Peyroux House in New Orleans, built c. 1780, is an example of ''briquette-entre-poteaux'' (brick-between-post) construction.
File:BStJ1784PlantationHouseFrontOak.jpg, Lorreins Plantation, aka Old Spanish Customs House, in New Orleans, built c. 1784
File:Destrehan Manor House 20070706.jpg, Destrehan Plantation near Destrehan, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, built c. 1787, portions were altered in 1840 to reflect the Greek Revival style.
File:Maison Bequette-Ribault.jpg, Bequette-Ribault House in Ste. Geneviève, Missouri, c. 1789 is an example of poteaux-en-terre construction.
File:Bolduc House and Detached Kitchen in Ste Genevieve MO.jpg, Louis Bolduc House Museum, in Ste. Geneviève, Missouri, c. 1792 is an example of poteaux-sur-sol construction.
File:Parlange Plantation, State Highway 93, New Roads vicinity (Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana).jpg, Parlange Plantation House in Mix, Louisiana, was built c. 1754 and is an early example of French Colonial architecture in the United States.

See also

*American colonial architecture, which states that by 1770 the briquette-entre-poteaux replaced earlier types of French colonial construction.
*Creole cottage
** Hotel St. Pierre
** Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
* List of French possessions and colonies

References

{{African architecture styles

New France