Archives de la catégorie : Uncategorized

In the Burgundian town of Clamecy, partially hidden behind the facades of more modern buildings, lies the intact structure of the medieval “cathedral” of Saint Mary, seat of the exiled Crusader bishops of Bethlehem in the Holy Land and the last vestige of a unique and prestigious chapter in local history. During the medieval Crusades,Lire la suite « Crusaders in Clamecy: Vestige of a medieval exile »

In which region was Corvol l’Orgueilleux situated in the Middle Ages? While the area is today part of Burgundy, for a period of its medieval history it was located in another, autonomous, entity, the county of Nevers, or the “Nivernais”, as a review of maps of the region demonstrate. The Nivernais is a former provinceLire la suite « Burgundy or Nivernais? A few maps »

In the beginning, it was all quite simple. Armed bands marauded the countryside, and built themselves fortified bases to assert their power and to protect themselves from other warlords. The man (as they usually were) who wielded his strength most effectively became the ‘seigneur’, or lord. Together with the authority that came with force cameLire la suite « Châteaux and nobles »

‘Colas Breugnon, a good chap, Burgundian, rounded in his manners and his appearance, no longer in the prime of his youth, 50 years have passed, stocky, healthy teeth, eyes as sharp as a hawk, and hair still firmly on my head, despite some greying.’ « Colas Breugnon, bon garçon, Bourguignon, rond de façons et du bedon,Lire la suite « Cola Breugnon, champion of the Burgundian spirit »

On a hill above the Sauzay river, around three kilometres from Corvol, is the hamlet of Saint-Georges, with its ancient chapel dedicated to Saints Cosma and Damian. The 14th century chapel is located on what was the main road from Varzy to Entrains-sur-Nohain, and provided a resting place for travellers. Curiously, this isolated place becameLire la suite « Saint-Georges »

In search of documents on the history of the Vieux Château, I visited the official archives in Nevers, together with Christian de Grandpré, our neighbour and the hereditary owner of the Châtellenie in Corvol. The impressive contemporary building houses the collected historical archives from across the Nièvre department, and, in good French bureaucratic tradition, employsLire la suite « Towers and pigeons: a visit to the archives »

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 fromLire la suite « Down by the riverside »

Daniel Jarreau, local amateur historian and general Corvol enthusiast, was recommended as the person who could tell us more about the village and the origins of the Château. Accompanied by Lionel, a member of the municipal council, we spent an enjoyable afternoon leafing through his extensive personal archive, and discovering a great deal more aboutLire la suite « A 500-year history »

A few images of the first snowfall and the house in Corvol.

Our first Christmas and New Year at Corvol coincided with our first anniversary: one year earlier, we visited the house on a whim and immediately knew that it had been waiting for us. Following our successful offer, as the world grappled with the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, we struggled with notaires, banks and artisans, finally signingLire la suite « Christmas, and a sense of home »