Urban Exploration - René's House

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

I had never seen anything like it. Back in 2011 in Longwy, I faced the "Witch’s House"—a Diogenes case with a meter-thick layer of trash. Here, it is also a Diogenes house, certainly, but with zero trash. No, this is just pure accumulation. Insane. Staggering. We know, yes, we know these things exist... but visiting one is something else entirely, I can tell you that. "Suffocating" would be the right word.

The house has never been visited by the urbex crowd, nor has it been looted. When I enter, I wipe away staggering amounts of cobwebs (which, being the first house of a 15-day road trip, is the last thing I need). The barn is wide open, but it’s so discreet, so uninviting too: terra incognita. When I finally step out of there, I’m proud; I hold my nose high like a sow carrying off a beet. Blustery, an idiot.

In the collective imagination, a "Diogenes" is seen as a filthy person accumulating massive amounts of junk in terrifying squalor. René, the inhabitant of this place, was clearly not filthy. Judging by the books and records, he was a cultured man. There was probably a time in his life when he lacked something. But what do we know? That’s just armchair psychology. The fact remains: he kept everything. He kept every single thing.

There aren't even any paths left, which is usually the case in Diogenes houses. To explore, you first have to push aside curtains of cobwebs, then climb over. Any hope for the upper floor? One staircase led up there; it was walled off, then filled. Another staircase was cluttered with logs of wood. It’s identical—not even worse, just the same.

A door splits the upper floor in two. Locked. Too bad—turn around. René was born in this commune in October 1908 and died here in December 1977. Documents tell us he delivered grain. Was he a farmer? We know far too little. In the surrounding mess, how can one study anything? Inherent saturation, as you can imagine.

Has the house remained frozen since that year? The newspapers found inside show that it doesn't add up. It has remained frozen since the Balladur era—so, 1993. What happened after that? We don't know. René’s grave is hidden in the vegetation. It was only after a relentless search that I managed to find it.

One likes to imagine a future for the house. It’s worth it. Antoine did manage to empty "Louisette’s house," so it is possible! Busy as I was cleaning myself off, I didn't tend to René’s grave. I will return, for sure.