The Maison Cornay in Loudun

There is sometimes poetic justice when life comes full circle and an American of French descent returns to France to buy his ancient ancestral home, which had fallen into ruin after the Nazis shot his relatives for hiding Jews in the basement during the war. This is the case of the ‘Maison Cornay’ in the medieval town of Loudun, which was a major crossroad in the Middle Ages between the middle and lower Loire River areas and the Poitou Charente region. The town is only 15 minutes from the stunning hilltop castle ruins of Chinon, one of the Loire Valley’s most prominent chateaux. Loudun, with its 11th century church steeple rising up high, can be seen from afar, as the town is on a hill overlooking rolling fields in all directions. Alas, the fortified walls that surrounded the town were torn down in the 19th century to make the city more open and accessible; but you can still see many medieval remnants throughout the town.

The ‘Maison Cornay’ probably dates back to the early beginnings of the city and it was the home of the missionary Jean-Charles Cornay, who was made a saint by the Catholic church for being made a martyr in Vietnam back in the early 19th century. After 6 years of painstaking restoration under the supervision of an architect from the French ‘Historical Monuments Department’, the house is now replete with all of the modern amenities that anyone could hope for, all the while respecting the historical features of the property. With 6 bedrooms (3 king size beds and 3 queen size beds), 6 and a half bathrooms, 2 working kitchens, 2 large flat screen TV’s, 3 washers and 3 dryers, and under floor heating and air-conditioning throughout, this house can welcome up to 14 people in a very comfortable fashion. A large inner courtyard with a 200 year old palm tree in the middle can seat up to 30 people. There is night lighting as well in the courtyard.

This is a wonderful property to use as a base for visiting the vast number of castles, fine properties and tourist attractions in the region and the adjoining Loire Valley area. The renowned Abbaye of Fontevrault is not far, nor are the towns of Saumur and Poitier. Whichever direction you head in, there are fabulous sites to be seen and great gastronomic experiences to be had. Since you have everything on site for fine dining, however, you may simply choose to buy fresh produce at one of the many outdoor morning markets that take place in towns throughout France. While you are preparing your gourmet feasts, your children can be entertaining themselves up in the ‘recreation room’, with a large television and DVD library of English language films. The house even has a handicap accessible bedroom and bathroom. There are not many ancient properties in France that have been restored to such a high level of modern comfort. Medieval stone houses can be charming to look at but miserable to live in due to the thick stone walls and the cold that seeps into your bones. Here, you can enjoy going back in time while living in modern day comfort!

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"... this time, I was going until 1 A.M., loading up my car with the following: 2 very large rectangular mirror frames, a lovely porcelain corner sink with its original faucet, an oak cabinet door, a small cheese cabinet door with its wooden grill, more carved marble mantle pieces, a large cast iron skillet, and bits and pieces of carved wood: from molding to cornices."

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