The House
The main edifice of “La Maison de Beaumont” was built in the early 18th century, shortly after the earthquake of 1708 which destroyed parts of the adjacent Saint Jean Baptiste Church as well as the village’s bread oven (currently part of the house’s inner cellars).
The eastern wall of the house was built around the tower of the old Castle of Beaumont, which itself was destroyed in the 16th century during the religious wars pitting Catholics loyal to the “Ligue” against Protestants. The entrance of the tower has been uncovered during the renovation and is now visible.
The external cellars of the house form a vast labyrinth of connected spaces, which include the village’s old water reservoir, believed to be as ancient as the Church itself and dating back to the 12th century.
The house was used until the late 18th century as the “Demeure Seigneuriale” by the representative of the King of France. It was taken over after the French Revolution and became the village’s town hall until the early 20th century when the entire building was revamped to serve as the town’s elementary school.
You might also like: