HOTEL-DE-VILLE

hotel-de-ville, the town hall of every french municipality. the most ancient example still in perfect preservation is that at st-antonin (tarn-et-garonne) dating from the middle of the 12th century. other fine town halls are those of compiegne, orleans, saumur, beaugency and st quentin. the hotel de ville in paris built in the 16th century was burnt by the commune in 1871 and has since been rebuilt on an extended site, the central portion of the main front being a reproduction of the old design. there is only one town hall in a french town, those erected for the mayors of the different arrondissements in paris being called _mairies_.