29 November 2017

Montrésor (nº 7)

According to the wikipedia.fr article about the château de Montrésor, there were ancient fortifications on the high ground at Montésor before the year 900. The treasurer of the cathedral at Tours held the place as his fiefdom back then, and that's how Montrésor ("my treasure") got its name. Soon, though, it fell under the control of the counts of Anjou, notably Foulques Nerra, and then of the Plantagenets Henri II and Richard Cœur de Lion, future kings of England.

2005

By the year 1200, Montrésor had become part of the kingdom of France once and for all. Toward the end of the 1300s, a noble family from Touraine bought the Montrésor fortress and proceeded to have a chapel and a residential château of some sort built there, turning it into a true château-fort. One of the buildings dating, apparently, back to that period is the one in the photo above, called les communs ("the commons"). It stands across the interior courtyard from the logis Renaissance pictured in yesterday's post.

According to dictionaries, les communs is a term that describes an outbuilding (or une dépendance in France — the British might call it an outhouse!), or a secondary edifice standing alongside the main château or residence on such a property. The commons were the buildings given over to servants' quarters, the kitchens, the stables, and so on. Another meaning of les communs is "outhouse" in the American sense of the term...

6 comments:

  1. I discovered your blog a few months ago and have never commented even thoughts read it everyday.
    Thank you so much for the wonderful stories you tell through your photos and eloquent words.
    I love France so much but have never been brave enough to move there. I'm afraid it's too late for me now but I can be there through your blog. Many thanks.
    Christina.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comment, Christina. I am very lucky to be able to live out my old age in this beautiful region.

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  2. I'm always happy to hear from lurkers who enjoy your blog, Ken. Welcome Christina.

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  3. Almost looks like a different chateau depending on the side one sees, so many different construction dates. Enjoyed this series!

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    1. I'm not through yet! The commons building is across the courtyard from the main château building, and to its north. I'll post a photo of the main château building as seen from that side of the courtyard.

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