In progress - Floor Area: 500sqm

Perched on the hillside overlooking the Dropt Valley, nestled within a densely wooded park, stands the Castel of Laveyssière. Built on a medieval foundation and enhanced over the centuries, the structure reveals traces of various interventions. The western wing dates to the 16th century, while the eastern part was added in the 18th century. This manor house is adorned with a tower that retains its original pepper-pot roof. The last major renovations took place in the 19th century, including the addition of a chapel. Subsequently, a few modest renovations allowed the château to persist until today, when new owners plan to restore it.

The project aims to honor this rich historical legacy: introducing modern comforts without altering the castel’s character, while revealing, where possible, the artifacts of past interventions and erasing the marks of recent functional repairs.

Given the size of the building and the expansive surrounding grounds, the old wood-fired boiler heating system is replaced with geothermal energy. This system takes advantage of ground temperatures to provide optimal heating comfort, with underfloor heating on the ground floor and low-temperature radiators upstairs.

The replacement of wooden windows and shutters, replicating their original style, along with the insulation of the attic and the renovation or partial reconstruction of the roof structure, contributes to improved thermal performance. Installing the underfloor heating offers an opportunity to insulate the floors and select a material more in harmony with the castel's aesthetics. The terracotta-style tiles are replaced with an opus Roman-style Burgundy stone flooring, aged to match the exposed rubble-stone walls, which are restored through sandblasting and repointing. The chosen tones bring brightness back to the ground floor of a building originally designed to shield its occupants from the outside. Work on the walls also reveals earlier modifications, such as brick infill, which is preserved and reworked.

Upstairs, old wooden floors, previously covered over time, are uncovered and refurbished. A partial reorganization of the layout provides the new owners with more pleasant spaces, offering cross-lighting and views of the surroundings. To the south, they can enjoy a view of the park and its massive century-old plane tree, while to the north, the panorama of the Dropt Valley.

The entire project strives for aesthetic coherence, evoking the ambiance the château might have known throughout its history. This includes tapestries, wainscoting, gilding, rugs, porcelain fixtures, clawfoot tubs, old chandeliers, and wall sconces. From paint to furniture, the design seeks to transport visitors through time, making the necessary modern technical additions invisible to the eye while preserving the essence of the château.

Credit photos : Timothée Adam