L’Hôpital Plaza, France

L’Hôpital Plaza is a well-known and large abandoned 19th-century building complex in France. The immense building is four storeys tall and contains a square courtyard at the heart. There is a superb chapel at one end of the courtyard. Outside of the main complex three are outbuildings which served as a stable, barn and cider press.

L’Hôpital Plaza has been abandoned for nearly two decades. Happily, the wonderful building has thus far escaped any vandalism. We visited this location during the winter of 2016. As sun set rapidly encroached, we raced to photograph the location with the remaining 1 hour of light which remained.

History of L’Hôpital Plaza

In the 1820s, the freshly built L’Hôpital Plaza was used as a seminary. Young men destined for priesthood lived and were schooled here. In the early 1900s a change in law invoked separation of Church and State, As a result, the seminary closed.

During the First World War, the site was used as a convalescent home for wounded soldiers. For the final two years of this war, over 8000 Belgian soldiers were treated here.

During the Second World War, L’Hôpital Plaza served the allied forces once more. This region was heavily bombed, and many buildings and homes were destroyed. Local families sheltered here for several months as the war ravaged the nearby towns.

In the years following the two wars, the site was used as a retirement home for ex-servicemen. At the turn of the 21st century, the home closed and the L’Hôpital Plaza has stood empty ever since.

The building exteriors were maintained for many years, presumably by the state. The site was now up for sale, so was made to look presentable. A decade after the ex-serviceman home closed, foreign investors purchased the land and buildings. It is not known when, or if, they will begin work.