With the support of Patrimoine-Environnement, recognized National Association of public utility approved by the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development and by the Ministry of National Education.
La Maison forte de la Borie is a feudal casterly ensemble that has become an agricultural and wine estate. Composed of several buildings in a closed enclosure, it is the perfect illustration of the large medieval areas of this part of Auvergne region.
Located in the heart of the hamlet of Bard
in the commune of Boudes, near the Vallée des Saints (Valley of the Saints), geological peculiarity attracting more than 35 000 visitors per year, the House has been completely forgotten for more than 200 years. This ensemble was built during the fifteenth century, perhaps even before, to protect itself from English invasions and to keep looters away.
It features defensive systems and bindings on the front and periphery: buttresses, stunners, enclosures...
Cet ensemble a été répertoriée par Bruno PHALIP dans son ouvrage « Auvergne et Bourbonnais Gothique, LE CADRE CIVILE » 2003.
The Maison de La Borie has been the property of the DUPRAT family, a former Auvergne family of bourgeois and merchants, whose nobility of dress allowed it to attain the highest functions. The most famous representative was Cardinal DUPRAT, Chancellor of France under François 1St.
It was his brother who owned the Borie: Thomas-Annet DUPRAT, Sieur de Veyrieres, judge D'Annonay, bourgeois D’Issoire, who married Gabrielle de CHASLUS-LEMBRON of a neighbouring fief.
The Borie then passed to the descendants of this family with a particularity. It was intended for the legides of the DUPRAT until the middle of the seventeenth century.
Then, sold by lot and quartered, the House allowed more than 10 families to live there.
From 1850, a family of winegrowers patiently bought each piece until the 1980s. The agricultural vocation of the site was still present.
In 2013, it's our turn to take over!
Some will say that we are a little crazy but we are mainly stones, heritage and history lovers... The adventure began in 2013. For two years, with a circle of friends, we have purged the site and the buildings to regain the originating volumes and keep only the oldest elements. Two useful years to make the project mature and to orient the renovations, to respect the place and the former techniques as our one credo. This unknown place has passed through the centuries without water or electricity which is now worth almost in its original state. It is therefore up to us with your help to ensure that the place is still alive for decades. We are trying to make discover these places to more people during the Journées du Patrimoine et des Moulins (French Heritage Day), des Journées Européennes du Patrimoine (European Heritage Day) or simply to the "onlookers" visitors wandering in the Vallée des Saints (Valley of the Saints).
A first tranche of work on own funds between 2015 and 2016 allowed the water and out of the air to be put out of the old Winery and to rebuild the walls. At the strength of the volunteers ' arms we have in the summer 2018 reassembled the parapet of the South staircase of the strong House, collapsed in spring 2018.
Today the Eastern staircase of la Maison forte, the only original access to the House, needs to be rebuilt urgently. After decades of infiltration, the overall structure of the staircase is weakened. So we hope your support, and we offer you a long-term partnership with a whole commitment from us. The restoration of the Eastern staircase is necessary to support the scaffolds to allow the remodeling of the roofs and the renderings.
We are looking for support to carry out the work of recovery, consolidation and sealing of the Eastern staircase of la Maison forte for an amount of 3 500 €.
The cost wer quantified by a local craftsman specialized in the renovation of historic buildings.
If the fund-raising is exceeded, it will make it possible to finance more broadly the work of the staircase (total cost €7450). The next step will be to replace the dovecote’s roof torn out by the storm of December 1999 (8 000 €) and its coatings (22 000 €).The final step will be the roof (partially destroyed in 1999) and the renderings of the facades of la Maison forte (64 000 €).
You can support this project:
Dartagnans Campagne
Maison forte de la Borie
15 rue de Milan
75009 PARIS - FRANCE
This application is part of the overall support of the Heritage Foundation since 2015 with the assistance of local artisans.
The totality of the work carried out since that date was carried out on our own funds without any external financial support. From now on, we rely on your support to continue the renovation campaigns that bring back to life an atypical heritage property in the heart of the Lembronnais.
