There are a dozen “Aragonese ” houses on the plateau, the most famous being those at Monziols and Massegros (not open to the public).
Claude Labaume's depiction of the Aragonese house at Le MassegrosClaude Labaume's depiction of the Aragonese house at Le Massegros
Aragonese houses
Original buildings on the Causse de Sauveterre.AllaboutAragonese houses
Aragonese house in Lozère. Designed by Claude LabaumeAragonese house in Lozère. Designed by Claude Labaume
Model of the Maison aragonaise du Massegros by Claude LabaumeModel of the Maison aragonaise du Massegros by Claude Labaume
Stairs in the Aragonese house at Le Massegros. Designed by Claude LabaumeStairs in the Aragonese house at Le Massegros. Designed by Claude Labaume
DID YOU KNOW?
These external signs of wealth enabled “big farmers” to show off their wealth and stand out from the crowd by having a revisited Caussen-style house.
The architecture of Aragonese houses
They all share a common architecture:
An exterior gallery on the facade, on arches with balusters. The main body of the building is a traditional vaulted structure, with, at best, a limestone slate roof. Original architecture for a traditional building.
Why the name "Aragonese houses"?
Although Gévaudan (formerly Lozère) briefly belonged to the Kingdom of Aragon, we can’t establish a link between this Spanish presence and these homes built five centuries later. If we rely on the houses that have dates on them, construction dates vary between the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The village of Le Massegros boasts a fine example of an Aragonese farmhouse in the center of the village (privately owned), while not far away, in the hamlet of Les Monziols, stands the “ferme de la Barthe”. This astonishing dwelling was acquired by the Communauté de communes in 2002. Faced with an urgent need, it was decided to save it from ruin. Today, it has been bought back and is privately owned. This house is a perfect example of the “Aragonese” label, but in reality, the Aragonese appellation has no real basis.
Frontage of the Aragonese house at Masssegros. by Claude Labaume Frontage of the Aragonese house at Masssegros. by Claude Labaume
In Aragon, there's no such house...
It’s likely that a local scholar coined the name, which then developed locally.
In fact, this type of house can be found in the south of France as well as in Italy. But we prefer to believe that after the passage of the kings of Aragon, local masons were trained in this architecture under their influence, and that around ten Aragonese houses were built on the Causse de Sauveterre during this period.
Ecriteau from Claude Labaume's Aragonese houseEcriteau from Claude Labaume's Aragonese house
DID YOU KNOW?
A resident of Le Massegros has spent several years creating an exact representation of his village’s Aragonese house.
This magnificent house is on display in the Massegros tourist office.
Don’t hesitate to come and take a look!
- Is it possible to visit the Aragonese house at Le Massegros?
No, the Aragonese house at Le Massegros is on private property, so it’s not possible to visit.
- How do you observe an Aragonese house?
As most Aragonese houses are not open to the public, Mr Claude Labaume, an enthusiast, has reconstructed a model of the Aragonese house at Le Massegros.
It’s on display at the Massegros Tourist Office, so don’t hesitate to come and have a look!
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