Domaine du Parcot
MonumentHidden Treasure
Domaine du Parcot, located in Echourgnac (Dordogne), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Echourgnac, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.1309, 0.2638
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00083098
In the heart of the Double Périgourdine region, Domaine du Parcot is one of the last remaining authentic examples of this type of timber-framed, wattle-and-daub architecture, with its intact "balet" and barn dating from 1841.
History
Lost in the green depths of the Double, the vast forest of the Périgord Blanc long kept off the main roads, Domaine du Parcot is much more than just an old farmhouse: it's a living fragment of rural civilisation, preserved with rare integrity. The dwelling house, its barn, its bakehouse and its pond bordered by centuries-old oak trees are all part of an architectural and ecological ensemble that commands respect. What immediately sets Parcot apart from so many other Périgord farmhouses is the total absence of modern additions. There have been no clumsy extensions or untimely restoration work: the volumes, materials and uses have remained faithful to the Doubleaude tradition. The front of the house features the characteristic "balet", a covered gallery on oak posts that protects the entrance from the rain and acts as a transitional space between the outside and the inside - an architectural feature that is both functional and terribly elegant in its simplicity. To visit Parcot is to immerse yourself in a vanished human landscape. The timber-framed walls filled with cob - a mixture of clay, straw and plant fibres - tell of the ingenious resourcefulness of the peasants of the Double, who used what they had to hand in a region poor in stone but rich in woodland. The barn, built in 1841 using the same construction principles as the house, is a harmonious extension of the ensemble and bears witness to a building tradition that was still alive and well on the eve of the great agricultural transformations of the 19th century. The pond that borders the estate adds an ecological dimension to the heritage interest of the site. Shaded by old pedunculate oaks, it is a reminder that the Double was for a long time an inhospitable region, renowned for its malarial fevers, before it was cleaned up in the 19th century. Today, this stretch of water is a haven of tranquillity, a faithful reflection of the hedged farmland and wetlands that make up the ecological uniqueness of this region. Parcot is best enjoyed in the golden autumn, when the surrounding chestnut trees set the Double forest ablaze.
Architecture
The architecture of the Domaine du Parcot belongs to the vernacular tradition of the Double, a local variation of the rural pan de bois that can be found in various forms throughout south-western France. The load-bearing walls are made up of an oak frame - the most abundant wood in the region - with the gaps filled by a cob made from clay mixed with straw and plant fibres. This cost-effective and thermally-efficient construction system provides excellent thermal inertia, keeping the house cool in summer and warm in winter. The most remarkable feature of the house is undoubtedly the "balet", the covered gallery that runs along the main façade. Supported by oak posts and protected by the eaves of the tiled roof, the balet is at once a storage area, a place to work sheltered from the elements and a social area. It is an architectural signature specific to double-aisled houses, attesting to their remarkable adaptation to the rainy climate of this forest region. The barn, built according to the same principles in 1841, reproduces the structural logic of the house, testifying to the consistency and permanence of the local construction system. The bakehouse, an outbuilding dedicated to baking bread, completes the functional organisation of the ensemble, while the pond, built on the edge of the estate, reflects both a practical necessity - the water supply - and the omnipresence of water resources in this wetland region.
Related Figures
Paysans doubleauds anonymes du XIXe siècle, bâtisseurs du domaineTrappistes d'Échourgnac, artisans du reboisement de la Double à partir de 1868Conservateurs des Monuments Historiques de la Dordogne, auteurs de l'inscription de 1992
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Domaine du Parcot located?
Domaine du Parcot is located in Echourgnac, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Domaine du Parcot built?
Domaine du Parcot dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Domaine du Parcot open to visitors?
Domaine du Parcot is currently closed to visitors.