I came to this small château in the Cévennes region of Lozère on a magnificent day in May when the flowers were in full bloom. In awe of the surrounding landscape, my mind was made up straight away. And there I was, mistress of a run-down little château in the middle of old farm buildings, all in ruins too. But this superb location, preserved from the ravages of our time, a pile of stones on a rocky spur that no-one wanted, burdened with the weight of the years and our Romanesque history was very interesting to me, and only me. The Château du Poujol is set in a dominant position overlooking the valley, with a remarkable view over virgin land, which is why it is so charming and interesting. Here you are guaranteed calm and a change of scenery. That's why I chose this location and not somewhere else. What's more, Lozère is one of the French departments that has kept its authenticity, its traditional habitat far from any urbanisation, and where rural life is still very much alive.
The building is an integral part of the rocky spur it is perched on, with cut rock forming part of its ground floor walls. The building actually emerges from the ground, with the building stones excavated from the site and used to create a defensive ditch on the side not protected by the natural gradient. The building’s dominant position ensures a clear view of the area that was to be protected and difficult access for any potential attackers. Its orientation to the south makes the most of the climate, avoiding the windy ridges and less sunny, colder valleys. The château’s prominent position, in a world where the written word was rare, enabled the lord to assert his political authority. What is more, as the château was on the only route to the Atlantic slopes, the lord collected tolls from all who passed. The Château du Poujol is one of several small Romanesque castles in the high valleys of the Cévennes, with its typical architecture which is still very present locally. The area’s poverty ensured the châteaux’ preservation. The original square tower, known as the "Bermonde", probably dates back to the 13th century. The current kitchen, with its moulded segmental arch fireplace, dates back to the 15th century. The clearly visible round tower, which is a staircase tower, must have been built in the 17th century. Outside, there are still some of the farm buildings, which are difficult to date. There are two sheepfolds and a small house next to them that would have housed an intendant. The large ditch that protected it to the north has been filled in and large dry stone walls have meant that a large terrace could be built on the ground floor. It is a perfect example of a small Cévenol nobleman’s property.
The Château du Poujol was a fiefdom under the Ancien Régime and remained the property of the same family until the 17th century. It then became the property of the Nogaret family, one of whose descendants sold the Poujol estate to his coachman Perrier to pay his wages at the end of the 19th century. The property was sold to Antony Gauteri and his wife Lucienne Bosche in 1941. After the war, they set up their "Cosmobiologie Spatiale" centre at Le Poujol to welcome the first extra-terrestrials. This new destination intrigued the public and the Château du Poujol became a place shrouded in mystery. Antony Gauteri made the front page of the newspapers "Le Provençal" and "Ici Paris", and the ORTF filmed a short documentary here, which can still be in the INA archives. The cosmobiology space centre apparently had divinatory qualities. Antony died in 1972 and his wife sold the property to a Dutch architect, while keeping half of the building for herself. Lucienne lived almost as long as her buyer, who was unable to carry out any work on the property. When I bought it in 2000, everything had to be renovated.
This is a typical Lozère Cévennes location, with a magnificent view, unspoilt by urban development and visual pollution, in a dominant position in an environment inhabited by a wealth of wildlife. The northern confines of the Aigoual are one of France's best big game hunting areas. Set at an altitude of 800 metres, most of Bassurels lies in the central area of the Cévennes National Park and within the Unesco-listed area, due to the quality of its unspoilt landscapes and its active pastoral life. The mountain pastures are located on the ridges, where you can see the château and above all hear the herds grazing. I provide a dinner made with fresh, local produce in the evenings, and I can prepare picnic baskets to take away or a plated lunch on site at lunchtime. There is a library available, with many books on history, fauna, flora and local life. There is a pool to swim in and sunbathe by the side of, unless you prefer a dip in one of the icy streams. You can also wander around the estate's 160 hectares. There's never a dull moment! In the evening, the aperitif served on the large terrace is a convivial moment for those who wish to chat.
The château is the starting point for a number of hikes, notably to the summit of the Aigoual via the transhumance routes. The Lozère sights are untouched, so it's often best to discover them on foot. The Lozère region, and in particular the Florac district, boast an impressive variety of landscapes in a very small area. From granite massifs - Mont Aigoual and Mont Lozère - to limestone plateaus - Causses Méjean, Causse Sauveterre, Causse Noir - bordered by deep gorges - Tarn, Jonte - the scenery is superb. Every outing is a feast for the eyes! It's also worth exploring the many Neolithic sites on the Méjean and Sauveterre plateaus, with their “caps barrés”, protohistoric enclosures, rows of menhirs and dolmens. These structures are little known to the general public and are found in magnificent, deserted spots. Some evenings in the summer, I serve dinner on the summer pasture ridges with the shepherds near their large flocks of ewes gathered in their pens for the night. These are rare moments and guarantee a change of scenery. The sunsets are splendid. Life is simple at Le Poujol but comfortable, and that does a world of good in today’s hectic modern life.
There is a bedroom and a lounge/dining room that open out onto a terrace on the first floor. There are two bedrooms, accessed by a spiral staircase, on the second floor. The fourth bedroom, also on the second floor, above the living room, is accessed by a wooden staircase. All bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms or shower rooms with toilets. There are no televisions in the bedrooms, but books are available.
ref 899081
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