This is my 1996 watercolour of the nearby ruin that I posted just over a week ago.
And this (below) is the same building today.
It hasn't changed too much since 1996, but more of the roof has fallen in, one of the chimneys is now missing, and the extreme right has become completely covered in Ivy. The wooden structure of the porch has totally disappeared.
It wouldn't take much to bring it back to life. It would make a lovely house again if sympathetically restored. It doesn't have water or electricity, but both are only 50 metres away.
27 comments:
A project for you.
A few years ago I would have loved to take it on; the barn was my final project.
Hmm.. pull it down and build a nice modern breeze block "Executive " home there, with a hot tub and space for a mahoosive campervan. Lovely.
It's a bit sad to see such beautiful buildings collapse. I always wonder who lives in them and where they have gone.
What a great project for someone.
But for me - I'm too old, I'm not in the building trade, not enough money and most important I would want shops and old folk things in walking distance.
Ditto potty's comments.
I'm too old now, but in years past would seriously considered a project like that, providing I could find a decent builder to renovate sympathetically.
These days only lack of a water supply prohibits building in remote places. Solar panels have solved the problem of electricity.
Don't encourage them!
I shouldn't think it's been lived in for about 100 years.
Yes, it's like our house; 7 kms from civilization, and 20 kms from pukka quality shops.
I love old ruins - possibly because I am one myself.
I've known people who lived in isolated homes, and they survived with generators. Water could always come off the roof.
I used to go inside this one, but I wouldn't now. It looks a tad unsafe.
What a lovely house this could be. It's sad but, I suppose, inevitable that, these days, the French seem to prefer modern houses in towns rather than these lovely old buildings. They seem to leave it to the English and Dutch to renovate them and give them another lease of life. C'est la vie.
That's exactly right. If the French themselves renovate such old houses they take out all the history and features and make them look modern. Even the exteriors are modernised. I've seen some absolute horrors.
In my dreams,
It's a lovely olg house. Looks very small, like older houses here. Have you peeped inside?
Like Yael, I wonder about the family that lived there
In lots of people's dreams, I'm sure.
I used to go inside years ago, I wouldn't go inside now. Too dangerous.
Water from the roof depends upon how wet the climate is. Given the extensive areas with prolonged drought, it might not be so reliable. When we were first looking for property abroad we viewed quite a few places that relied on generators. Not so ecologically acceptable these days.
Someone could restore this ruin to a lovely home. Are the owners local people? It seems odd that it sits in disrepair.
How about it Cro - a project for your old age?
I find it odd that such a sturdy little building has been left to fall to ruin. It's very sound, isn't it. The walls straight and strong. Just stoutly waiting to catch the eye of someone with vision. I love the steps.
Sold! Can you get it for a pence or less?
No they live quite a distance from here, but they own the lovely house nearby. He is a doctor with his own clinic in the town of Brive.
No thanks, my house restorations are over!
The owners could have sold it a hundred times over, but he's not interested. Our little house was in even worse repair when I bought it.
If I told you what I paid for this little house, you probably wouldn't believe me!!!
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