Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle, located in Mondoubleau (Loir-et-Cher), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Mondoubleau, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.9801, 0.8924
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00098496
Situated in the heart of the Perche region around Vendôme, this 15th-century half-timbered house epitomises the art of medieval building in the Loir-et-Cher, with its exposed oak roof structure and carved half-timbering of rare elegance.
© Wikimedia Commons
History
Nestling in the narrow streets of Mondoubleau, a small medieval town in the Perche area of Vendôme, this timber-framed house is one of the rare 15th-century civil residences to have survived the centuries without losing much of its original character. It is a striking example of late medieval domestic architecture in the Centre-Val de Loire region, at a time when wood reigned supreme over middle-class and craft buildings. What makes this house truly unique is the quality of its exposed timberwork: the carefully squared oak beams form a rigorous geometric pattern on the facades, characteristic of the style of post-and-beam construction in the form of the Saint Andrew's cross, found in the prosperous market towns of the medieval Vendôme region. The infill between the timbers, traditionally in cob or brick, contributes to the palette of raw materials that gives the whole a precious authenticity. Visiting the house is like immersing yourself in the daily life of a wealthy 15th-century bourgeois or craftsman. From the street, passers-by are immediately struck by the slightly corbelled silhouette of the upper storey, projecting onto the public thoroughfare in accordance with common medieval practice, which gave the illusion of enlarging the upper storeys without encroaching further on the plot on the ground. Mondoubleau itself is well worth a visit: a fortified market town dominated by the ruins of its medieval castle, it retains an atmosphere of an old market town that is particularly conducive to a historical stroll. The house is part of this inherited urban landscape, forming a coherent whole with a number of other old houses that evoke the market towns of the kingdom of France at the dawn of the Renaissance. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1935, it enjoys protection that guarantees the preservation of its medieval architectural features. Whether you're passionate about vernacular architecture, a photographer in search of textures and light from another era, or simply curious about heritage, this house will leave you with a discreet but lasting impression.
Architecture
The house belongs to the well-defined type of medieval timber-framed urban house typical of the market towns of the Vendôme and Perche regions in the 14th and 15th centuries. Its load-bearing structure is made entirely of oak: corner and intermediate posts, high and low runners, horizontal infill and oblique cross bracing form a geometric pattern that can be seen on the façades. The corbelling of the upper storey on the street, achieved by extending the floor joists in a cantilevered fashion, is a technical and social arrangement typical of the late Middle Ages, which made it possible to maximise the living space on the upper levels while creating a natural canopy for passers-by or market stalls. The infill between the timbers is traditionally made of cob - a mixture of clay, straw and hemp applied to a wicker or wattle and daub frame - or sometimes of fired bricks laid in a herringbone pattern, a technique known as "edge brick infill", which was common in the Loir-et-Cher region in the late 15th century. The façades thus reveal a natural polychromy, alternating the warm brown of the oak, the ochre beige of the cob and the pinkish hue of the brick, which develops a different patina depending on exposure. The sculpted or moulded details that sometimes adorned the posts and runners of middle-class houses from this period bear witness to the care taken to represent the social status of its patrons. The openings - windows with wooden mullions or slightly third-pointed brackets - are part of the decorative grammar of late flamboyant Gothic, the dominant style in the Vendôme region at the time of the building's construction.
Related Figures
Prosper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, il contribua à la reconnaissance nationale du patrimoine civil médiéval en FranceViollet-le-Duc — théoricien et restaurateur du XIXe siècle dont les travaux inspirèrent la protection des maisons à pans de boisLes charpentiers anonymes du Vendômois (XVe siècle) — artisans maîtrisant les techniques d'assemblage à tenons et mortaises qui donnèrent naissance à cet édificeLes bourgeois marchands de Mondoubleau (XVe siècle) — commanditaires probables de la maison, enrichis par le commerce du blé et du chanvre dans le Perche vendômoisLes seigneurs de Mondoubleau — dont la puissance médiévale favorisa l'essor urbain du bourg où s'inscrit cette demeure
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle located?
Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle is located in Mondoubleau, Loir-et-Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle built?
Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle open to visitors?
Maison en pans de bois du 15e siècle is currently closed to visitors.