The house of Jean Guiton (3 rue des Merciers)

The facade of Jean Guiton’s house was renovated in the 18th century. He was mayor of La Rochelle during the Great Siege in of 1627-1628.

Jean Guiton belonged to an ancient Rochelais family of which several members played an important role: firstly his grandfather Jacques, mayor in 1575 who distinguished himself during the 1573 siege, and then his father, Sieur de l’Hourmeau, mayor in 1587.

Jean Guiton, Sieur de Repose-Pucelle (1584-1654), was appointed admiral of the Rochelais fleet when political and religious unrest returned. In 1622 he fought against the Duke of Guise with the greatest courage, but was severely defeated three years later.

Nevertheless he was elected mayor on 31 April 1628, in the midst of the siege, and succeeded Jean Godefroy with 75 votes out of 82 voters. He devoted all his energy to defending the town against Louis XIII, but famine decimated the inhabitants and he was forced to surrender in late October 1628. He was suspended from his duties and exiled for six months. In 1636 he accepted to run command a vessel of the Royal fleet, and took part in the siege of Fontarabie in 1638. About ten years later he withdrew to his lands of Repose-Pucelle near La Jarrie. In 1654 he died there, a faithful subject of the king, but he never had recanted his Protestant faith.