Maison dite La Recette
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison dite La Recette, located in Paunat (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
- Paunat, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.9060, 0.8584
- Mérimée Reference
- PA24000023
A rare medieval residence in Périgord, the house known as La Recette in Paunat boasts an exceptional Périgord Romanesque clerestory and a covered passageway with pointed arches, both of which bear witness to the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries.
History
Nestling in the village of Paunat in the Dordogne, the house known as La Recette is one of those discreet residences that the Périgord region is so good at keeping secret. Its sober facade gives little away, but it houses one of the best-preserved Romanesque architectural ensembles in the region, on the boundary between two pivotal centuries for French medieval art. What really sets this building apart is the presence of a Perigordian clerestory in the Romanesque style - a rare architectural feature, made up of rhythmic, openwork openings that characterise the skilful aesthetics of the master builders of medieval Périgord. This type of decorative element, often reserved for religious buildings or canons' residences, bears witness here to a patron of a certain rank, anxious to display his architectural culture as much as his social status. The residence comprises three separate sections, of which only the southern section has retained its original medieval character. This volume is supported by a covered passageway punctuated by pointed arches, an elegant transition between the late Romanesque and the first Gothic inflections. Strolling through this passageway is literally crossing the threshold between two artistic eras, in an intimate and striking architectural space. The setting of the village of Paunat further enhances the magic of the place. Dominated by the Romanesque abbey church of Saint-Martin - itself a historic monument - the village retains a rare medieval atmosphere in the Périgord Noir, far removed from the mass tourist circuits. The house known as La Recette fits into this picture with a discretion that is admired by lovers of authentic heritage. Listed as a historic monument since 1998, the house is more a place for archaeological contemplation than a site for organised visits. It will appeal to enthusiasts of Romanesque architecture, historians of medieval housing and anyone looking for a living trace of the Middle Ages in a bend in a Périgord lane.
Architecture
The house known as La Recette has a tripartite layout: three adjoining buildings, of which only the southern one has preserved its medieval integrity. It is in this section that the most remarkable features are concentrated, foremost among which is a Perigordian clerestory in the Romanesque style. This composition of arched openings, characteristic of the Périgord region at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, evokes the tribunes and galleries of the great abbeys of the region. It gives the façade a lightness and sculptural rhythm rarely seen in rural civil architecture. The covered passageway that supports the southern section is a second major point of interest. Its pointed arches announce the Gothic inflection without having yet abandoned the robustness and fullness of the late Romanesque: it is precisely this stylistic turning point that the building crystallises with perfect clarity. The masonry, probably made of Périgord limestone - a golden blonde stone that is ubiquitous in vernacular buildings in the Dordogne - contributes to the visual harmony of the whole. The general layout of the residence, with its ground gallery and habitable floors, is typical of Périgord strongholds and abbeys of the period, combining representative, administrative and residential functions. Although the other two buildings have been altered over the centuries, their presence bears witness to the permanence of the site and its role in Paunat's village economy over the long term.
Related Figures
Abbés de Paunat (XIIe-XIIIe siècle) — commanditaires présumés ou commanditaires proches de l'édifice, en lien avec l'abbaye bénédictine Saint-MartinOfficiers seigneuriaux médiévaux — gestionnaires de la recette des redevances, occupants fonctionnels probables de la demeureMaîtres maçons périgourdins (fin XIIe siècle) — bâtisseurs anonymes formés aux ateliers romans locaux, auteurs de la claire-voiePropriétaires révolutionnaires (fin XVIIIe siècle) — acquéreurs probables lors des ventes de biens nationaux, ayant assuré la transmission de la demeureInspecteurs des monuments historiques (1998) — acteurs de la reconnaissance patrimoniale officielle de la maison
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison dite La Recette located?
Maison dite La Recette is located in Paunat, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Maison dite La Recette built?
Maison dite La Recette dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Maison dite La Recette open to visitors?
Maison dite La Recette is currently closed to visitors.