Guibord - Vallé House

Jacques Gicourd, a native of Angers, France, acquired this block of property from a Spanish government grant in 1799. He first settled in Santo Domingo and was saved by a servant during the bloody uprising there. He came to Ste. Genevieve and married Ursule Barbeau, daughter of Jean Baptiste Barbeau of Prairie du Rocher, across the river. The house was built about 1806-7 according to tree-ring studies of its beams. It has a typical gallery across the front, with two entrances to the house. The attic shows the Norman style trusses and hand-hewn oak beams, held in place by wooden pegs.

The house was later owned Jules Felix Vallé, the ggg-grandson of Francois Vallé I, first commandant of Ste. Genevieve. His wife Anne furnished it elegantly. In the rear and side yards is a beautifully landscaped garden and courtyard with an archway and old stone well. It is open for tours.