It is a residence which intrigues as much by the mystery surrounding its history, which began more than a century ago, as by its unique architecture. It happens that motorists slow down when they see it behind the foliage, on this small, quiet, wooded road, lost in the Burgundian countryside, west of Auxerre. The curious are wondering: why is this bourgeois house from the 1920s, set in a park on the edge of a wood, topped with a belvedere?
Local people say that an enigmatic Mexican who arrived at the Saint-Sauveur-en-Puysaye station, without anyone knowing why, fell in love with the region. The stranger then had this elegant home built for a woman with whom he was in love. But the beauty, put off by his isolated character, would ultimately never have lived there. No one knows if this is a legend or a true story.
And a doubt hangs over the origin of this man who came from elsewhere. Maybe he was Moroccan, not Mexican? This could explain the presence of the belvedere, which some observers imagine inspired by minarets. Moreover, in the village, the place has long been nicknamed “Castle Morocco”. And the plot which surrounds the property, since sold, separately, to a lumberjack, the “forest of Morocco”.
At the end of 2021, Kanèle Gendron and Caroline Houdart, friends from Île-de-France, acquired the building and its 2 hectares of land, located a little over two hours’ drive from Paris, to turn it into a country house. and offer it for rental. It will be Maison Maroc, no need to look for noon to two p.m.! “We really fell in love with this place, they explain over an apricot tart, around one of the tables in the garden. We liked the house and the forest, as well as the dynamic villages in the surrounding area. »
A pleasant journey through time
It must be said that the surrounding area has nothing of a moribund countryside. Less than 1 kilometer away, La Poèterie, an industrial wasteland that has become an artists’ residence, offers events open to the public. Colette’s house and the castle-museum dedicated to the woman of letters are located in the neighboring village, in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puysaye, whose town has several bistros and small restaurants. A little further, you can visit the castle of Saint-Fargeau and the famous reconstruction site of Guédelon, swim in the waters of Lac du Bourdon or shop at the Toucy market, renowned for the quality of its products.
You have 45% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.