Porte-cochère

[4][5] Portes-cochères are still found on such structures as major public buildings and hotels, providing covered access for visitors and guests arriving by motorized transport.

[6] A porte-cochère, a structure for vehicle passage, is to be distinguished from a portico, a columned porch or entry for human, rather than vehicular, traffic.

[7] Today portes-cochères are found at both elaborate private homes and such public buildings as churches, hotels, health facilities, and schools.

Portes-cochère differ from carports in that the vehicles pass through for passengers to board or exit rather than being parked beneath the covered area.

Guard stones are often found at the foot of portes-cochère, acting as protective bollards to prevent vehicles from damaging the structure.

a covered entryway at the entrance of a stone building
An ornate 19th-century porte-cochère, at Waddesdon Manor
a parking lot and driveway with covered entry area outside a modern-style building
A modern example at a hospital