The Crusader's House

We are in the process of acquiring appliances and furniture for our new house at Bazens, in the south-west of France.

To that end, we went to Clairac, an old village on the river Lot,  to see an item advertised for sale on the Facebook page "Pre-owned in Aquitaine".

The address given turned out to be a twelfth century, columbage-fronted house in the oldest part of town. It was positioned on the edge of a square that faced the church, the abbey and the convent.

A 40-something, bald-headed man greeted us warmly and ushered us into his house.

As we entered the living room, we drew a sharp, collective breath.

(remember, you can click on the photos to enlarge them)

a reproduction suit of armour from the first crusade of 1099 

a closer look at the helmet

sword forged in Scotland in 1300

The owner of this wondrous house is Michel Girod. He told us he was the descendant of one of the Knights Templar crusaders whose job it was to protect pilgrims to Jerusalem.

He told me the suit of armour is a reproduction of the type worn by the early Christian soldiers who liberated the Holy Land from the Muslims.

He bought this ancient village house four years ago and decorated it with ancestral furniture and tapestries.

panelled oak doors and Celtic applewood armoire

800 year old solid oak table with Fleur de Lys and a Templar cross

a Gothic chair

a wall mounted 17C tapestry depicting the Crusaders

in search of the Holy Grail

He found a 70 year old leadlight master who meticulously created this magnificent front window, complete with heraldic coat of arms which includes, of course, a Templar cross.

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Michel's house has a gorgeous elm-wood staircase dating back to the 17C. The floor tiles were laid in the 15C and tracks are still evident of birds who walked on the drying clay.

For lovers of history and the Middle Ages, of all things Templar and the romance of crusading knights, Michel's house is a treasure-trove. It is a museum.

We were thrilled to have discovered it and to have made the acquaintance of this extraordinary man.

By the end of the tour, I had forgotten why I'd gone there in the first place!