If walls could talk

Ever wondered about the history of your French property or one you’re considering buying? Historian Anton Lee explains how to research your French home’s past.

- Anton Lee

The first thing to say about any aspect of historical research undertaken in France is that a firm grasp of the language is vital. That assumed, there are a number of ways in which the history of your house can be traced. The process is likely to be long and difficult, but those rewarding moments of discovery make it all worthwhile.

Your quest will involve a detailed study of the building itself and a search for any written records which might mention your property. Much of the latter can now be done on the internet.

In addition, it will be important to discover as much as possible about the area: a visit to the local maison de la presse will probably furnish you with a booklet or two on the history of the surroundings while the local library might have something more substantial.

Next are maps; a starting point is your mairie where you should find the Carte Napoléon (sometimes called the carte cadastrale), a detailed, hand-drawn map of every commune, created in the first part of the 19th century. The two great cartographers of the 18th century were Cassini and Belleyme, who covered the whole country and their maps can be looked at online. Almost all country houses and farms will be on one or both if they date from before that time. Old IGN maps (the equivalent of Ordnance Survey) can also help and if you are near a site of historical or geographical interest – an abbey or a river, for instance – you might find other old maps are also available.

Another invaluable source of information is stories told by neighbours. It is surprising how often families who have been in the locality for a while will have familial links with a number of houses. They may even know of someone who has old photographs. The danger is that a certain amount of misinformation will probably be included as well.

Where to start