Joseph's abandoned hotel

We received photos from a traveler and compiled them into a historical summary.

The exploration I’m sharing with you today is that of a former hotel, located in an extremely isolated hamlet in Ardèche. This subject will remain partially shrouded in mystery, given how fragmentary the information in my possession is.

The hotel belonged to Mr. Joseph Benoit. He retired in 1968. Based on simple deduction, everything suggests the hotel has remained "petrified" since that date. It is incredible: the beds, the wardrobes, a wood-burning stove in every room, the linens—it’s all there, remarkably intact. It is truly "old-fashioned" in every sense of the word.

The assumption is that Joseph Benoit lived on the ground floor, while the rooms and the attic haven't changed an inch.

In 1995, I located letters addressed to him at La Roucheyrole in Les Vans. Being quite elderly by then, did he move to that small Provençal town for the sake of convenience? Everything points to that conclusion.

He was born in 1912 and passed away in February 1996, in the same commune where the hotel stands. His family included his wife, Berthe Bonnet (1917–2005), and his son, Yves Benoit (1950–2010). We also find mentions of Yves’ partner Caroline, a friend named Yvonne Simonin in Montélimar, and a probable granddaughter, Agathe, and grandson, Alix. Other relatives include Philippe Benoit and Mireille Gonzalez in Ogeu-les-Bains, as well as Laurence and Max Benoit in Wasquehal, who sent him letters and looked after him. Finally, granddaughters Lucie and Amélie, and a close acquaintance, Joseph Bonhomme.

This is how confusing and incomplete these records can be. We will know no more. Clearly, we are entering a world of silence and secrets. I hope you enjoy this walk through time.