Urban Exploration - Monique's House

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

Here is a visit to a curious abandoned dwelling—the "Sailor's House," as the villagers call it. Indeed, as soon as you step inside, you are struck by the sheer number of references to the sea: an astonishing collection of model ships, paintings of vessels, an aquarium… even a jacuzzi. Water is omnipresent.

A bit too present, perhaps. The roof is leaking. As a result, water seeps in and rots the wooden structures. Large sections of the house, as well as the furniture, are dangerously collapsing into the crawl space. Combined with upward-facing nails from dismantled floorboards, I found this house treacherous and proceeded with great caution.

This home was occupied by Monique and Robert. In their correspondence, the first mentions of the "chalet" appear in 1974. A large part of the house was built by their own hands, if their letters are to be believed. It was their little corner of paradise, their place to reunite.

Robert was an international sailor for the Compagnie Maritime des Chargeurs Réunis. He wrote to her from all corners of the globe. She suffered from his absences, yet the couple got along well. Later, he served as a lieutenant on the Atlantica Iberia for container ship agencies in Baltimore, USA.

This profession explains the numerous model boats and marine paintings. The letters are all signed with an anchor, and the writing makes it clear that Robert was a well-read man. They were a beautiful couple.

The reason for the abandonment is unknown. Robert, aged 81, is buried in a cemetery in the Ardèche.

Let’s begin the tour. It is under a driving rain, it is dark, and nothing is particularly easy.