Orne: Olivier built the tower of his dreams in the property he is restoring

Native of Ceaucé (Orne), Olivier Boisgontier46 years old, built a stone tower in the property that he is restoring with Carine Letissier, 40 years old, his partner.

Lovers of the buildings of the Domfront countryside

Olivier Boisgontier is a lover of the buildings of the Domfront countryside with the stone walls (granite or sandstone) and the half-timbering.

Since I was 20, I have been recovering old ruined buildings to preserve the stones, tiles and wood.

In 2005, he acquired a village abandoned for more than 30 years in Launay-Thébaudière. “I became passionate about the rehabilitation of the village.” A second house has also found a new life with the desire to offer it to Gîte de France. “I have known Olivier for 25 years and he has always been a builder who works with taste and passion,” admires Carine.

“It used to be a stagecoach stop”

Then a third at La Trébaudière on the edge of the Domfront – Mayenne axis, not far from the town of Ceaucé.

This village had been abandoned for many years, even though an English couple had done work on the house to make it habitable.

Since 2022, Olivier and Carine have lived in this new village with their one-year-old son. They restore it by moving slowly, in small steps.

The oldest people in Ceaucé say that this village was one of the most beautiful in the commune between the two wars due to the grandeur of the buildings and that it has deteriorated over time. In the past, it was an old stagecoach stop. The Ceaucé-Domfront road passed through the village. It was moved by Napoleon to the route we know today.

A surprising tower

The beautiful residence at the end of the courtyard, the immense stone buildings on either side, some of which are over 500 years old, are remarkable. Just like this stone tower erected at the entrance to the property which stands out in the landscape and inevitably catches the eye.

This tower has been a dream for many years to be able to build one. I was lucky. A mason who was ceasing his activity gave me several dozen cubic meters of stones.

He adds: “For the framework, the staircase and since the start of the work, we have been able to take mature trees which we have had cut down here. And my other passion is planting trees. More than 500 meters of bocage hedge and more than 1,500 trees, oaks, chestnuts, beeches, pear trees, apple trees, have been planted since 2005.”

“It’s just for beauty”

This masonry tower, 4.50 m in diameter and 6 meters high, is not finished. There remains the staircase and the turreted roof to be built and installed.

This tower will serve as a dovecote and will provide a beautiful view of Mont-Margantin, smiles the owner. It’s just for beauty.

Olivier and Carine gave themselves a “good ten years” to restore the entire farmhouse, with the help of their respective families and friends. They rely on photos to rebuild identically, like the old bread oven and the latrines at the back of the house.

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