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One of the oldest houses in France, the structure is considered to have been built in 1478. It welcomes guests every summer.
Who owns the oldest house in France?
One of the oldest houses in Aveyron, France, is the “Maison de Jeanne” (also known as “Jeanne’s House”), which is located at 10 rue de la rue Belvezet in Sévérac-le-Château.
Although the Maison de Jeanne has been situated on a street corner for half a millennium, it wasn’t until recently that it gained some level of internet fame.
For the past 70 years, no one has resided there. The home was bought by the town of Sévérac in 1995, and after planning restoration and repair work, it was made public.
Le Figaro reports that “some people are shocked by the corbelled structure, which is widening and widening, until it is explained to them that at the time the French already wanted to pay as little tax as possible and that they were relying on the floor surface of the building.”
It is recognized by moviegoers as a location from Harry Potter or the Weasley family mansion from the Game of Thrones series. Finally, many people hope to explore it or perhaps spend the night there.
How did this oldest house get its name, “Maison de Jeanne”?
The “Maison de Jeanne,” named after its last owner, a painter. It is a two-story house with half-timbered walls that are partly made of cob. The kitchen, or “cantou,” is still there, and the vaulted cellar still has the wooden feed troughs that show that in the Middle Ages, people fed their animals in the middle of their houses before letting them roam the streets.
The Design of Jeanne’s House
Timber was used for the framework, while cob was used for the walls. The house has larger upper floors that dangle over smaller lower ones by design. The structure includes two floors and a vaulted cellar with feed troughs, indicating that the first owners likely lived there with their animals on the ground floor. The house’s exterior was originally covered with stone.
The building will start getting repairs and upgrades in 2019. The renovations were carefully monitored by architect Philippe Blondin. The original roof tiles were slate, and Serge Causse measured each one before cutting and sizing replacements.
The Muzzarelli company completed the exterior masonry work. The Drulhet firm did the carpentry, and the Molinié company did the electrical and plumbing work. The interior of the house was finished with actual lime plaster.
A viral social media post
On the image-sharing website Imgur, an American tourist posted a picture of the Jeanne’s house in 2017, and it received two million likes in just 48 hours. The mansion was in need of restoration at the time and appeared to be about to collapse.
The fact that it was still standing after all these years captivated many social media users, and some started to make the untrue claim that it was the oldest house in France.
Although it is the oldest in the town and one of the oldest in Aveyron, the tourism office in Aveyron has certified that this is untrue.
The Maison de Jeanne was once again given the distinction of being the oldest house, according to a tweet that was sent out on May 15 and received 28,000 likes and 3300 retweets.
La plus ancienne maison en France, se trouve dans l’Aveyron, construite il y 700 ans environ. pic.twitter.com/XWsdsVjtyN
— L’historien (@Lhistorien9) May 14, 2022
Functioning of Jeanne’s House
Members of the public can visit the inside of the building in July and August, and witness reconstructions and events retracing its Mediaeval history and events.
During this period, to discover Sévérac le Château, several events are organised:
- A simple visit of the château and the mediaeval village,
- A guided visit,
- Mediaeval theatre,
- Free games for children: “apprentice knights”,
- Exhibitions in the superb Renaissance kitchen of the château
There is something for everyone so don’t hesitate any longer! Sévérac le Château is at the heart of your desires!
Capacities & Services
Capacity: 20 Person(s)
Languages : English, French, Italy
Equipments and services:
- Free guided tour for groups
- Guided tours
- Pets allowed
- Toilets
- Visite libre
Inside Maison de Jeanne
We know that you are in a hurry to see inside the oldest house in France. Have a look on these nice photographs.
Maison de Jeanne – France 3 Quercy Rouergue
Source: Wikipedia, Tourisme | All the information & photo credit goes to respective authorities. DM for removal please.
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