Translation of an article published in Ouest-France, the regional daily, on 21st September, 2010
It is now two years since the château de la Mouchère changed hands. “We fell in love with this place and by restoring it, hope to give it a new lease of life”, said Marie and Roger Huss, on the occasion of the first opening of their home to the public as part of the Journées du patrimoine. “As an historian”, says Marie, “I was interested in the château’s origins. It’s likely that there is a connection between the name Mouchère and words like monastère and monasterium, and, as the site has been occupied since the Middle Ages, I think it housed an outpost of the Priory of Sainte-Gauburge.” After the Revolution, the old manor house was relegated to its role as a farm, while new owners built a dwelling in tune with the taste of the early 19th century and endowed with grounds in the English style and rare species of tree.
The visitors during this year’s Journées du patrimoine were full of appreciation for the house in its verdant setting, and for the history of the place, certain aspects of which retain a touch of mystery: the underground passage, for example…