Down by the riverside

Alongside the house runs a small river, which is a tributary of the Sauzay which runs through the village. Historically, the river formed part of the village’s defenses, and in the 19th century provided the power for the paper mill.

Views of the river show how the area has evolved over the decades. Photos from the early 20th century show several small huts which were used as washhouses (some still exist today).

The views also confirm how the château has been modified. Originally, the main house was connected to the adjacent house in front, and a high wall and another smaller building connected the main building to the barn situated behind the house. Perhaps most notable in the image on the left is the silhouette of another tower at the far end of the image, and which was demolished in the mid-20th century to make space for a commercial building, and subsequently, a car park.

More mysteriously, one image from the early 20th century seems to show an extension on the river side of the house, which may have been a staircase or the remains of another tower. During renovation of the upstairs bathroom, which corresponds to the exact position of the extension, an older high and narrow opening was revealed, which would confirm that there had once been a passage to the exterior.

In 2024, a major renovation of the garden wall became necessary as part of the original wall collapsed. The excavation work confirmed hidden foundations of an earlier tower extending into the river. The new wall reproduces an original wall which connected the main house to the dependance.

The château and the river marked the edge of the village and looked directly over fields until the late 20th century, when a village hall and playing fields were built. Today, the main house has been separated from the wing, and hedges have replaced the walls. The river is still quite wild, although with fewer and disused wash houses, and probably more fish. Otherwise, like so much in this region, nothing has really changed.