Urban Exploration - Raymond's House

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

This is a visit to the home of Raymond and Maria, a place about which we ultimately know very little. The abandonment is old, and the house has been partially cleared out.

Raymond was born in the village in July 1921 and passed away in Figeac in June 2006, at the age of 84. His wife, Maria, was born in the same village in December 1912 and died there in October 1974, at the age of 62.

This was a house I knew nothing about; it was just one of about two thousand other points on my map. It was spotted because of its damaged roof, as is often the case. All that was left was to go and see for myself.

A Secluded Retirement
The place is wide open. Even so, you wouldn't necessarily imagine it gets many visitors. Everything suggests it was a quiet retirement home, its remote location being the main reason for its seclusion.

Raymond lived alone; his wife Maria passed away early. However, he was surrounded by his family, who also lived in the hamlet. Perhaps the most touching sight in the house is the laundry, which has been drying on the line for twenty years.

Both were born in the village. Back then, people met at dances—for example—and found their happiness that way. She died in the village, but he passed away much further away: in Figeac. Was it in a nursing home or a hospital? That part of the story remains a mystery.

Fragments of a Life
We know little of the couple, but it would seem logical that they were farmers. A few military photos of Raymond allow us to honor the memory of this gentleman. He is buried in the village cemetery in a lovely family vault. Due to a lack of effective research at the time, I did not visit Maria’s grave.

The house is partially furnished, as some items have been salvaged. It is a very small "urbex" find, but one that bears witness to a way of life from yesteryear—a life that, in its time, truly made sense.