The Château de la Briqueterie, a magnificent building located on the left bank of the Lot in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, has been transformed into a residence for the elderly. The first “tenant” has just moved into one of the eight apartments. The realization of a project imagined by Sarah, a Villeneuvoise in full retraining.
It is a building to which we do not necessarily pay attention. Hidden behind a large wrought iron gate, the two red brick towers tut the tops of the trees that line the rue de Coquard in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, just a few steps from the Elder’s House. Welcome to the castle called la Briqueterie. However, for lovers of heritage in the bastide – and there are many – this building is synonymous with mystery: few elements on its construction, except that it was at the end of the land of the tile-brickworks Berger , and therefore owned by its founder André Berger.
Some documents relate to the existence of this house, called “Castel Berger”, and date its appearance towards the end of the 19th century. Surrounded by a large wooded park, this brightly colored castle is made up of two round towers, one covered with a conical roof and the other with a terrace, and a polygonal tower to the west, covered with a polygonal arrow. Since then, it has passed through the hands of several owners, before being sold in 2020 to Sarah, a Villeneuvoise who is determined to carry out her project in this exceptional setting…
An original response to the housing problem for seniors
The purchase of the castle was made during confinement. Despite this period of hesitation, she knows how: to transform the building into a luxury apartment for… elderly people. In each of the seven apartments and the studio, everything is done to live his life as he sees fit: kitchen, bathroom, toilet, bedroom. And it was the gentleman who did everything, from floor to ceiling. “Tenants can stay at home and not go out,” smiles Sarah. But the concept is quite different, since two spaces have been converted into common living rooms. Television screen, large table, library, the Villeneuvoise intends to bring life and animate the castle throughout the year. “My goal is to support them,” says Sarah. She won’t be far, since the couple is in the process of building at the end of the garden. “I will be there morning and evening. I have always liked contact with seniors, talking with them. There, I realize the dream of a life. »
In full professional retraining – she is about to leave her position as a chartered accountant – she offers in the heart of Villeneuve a solution to the problem of housing for the elderly, who no longer feel like living alone in their big house. or go to a retirement home. As proof, the experience of the very first “roommate”, aged 90, living in Lyon, who left everything to settle on the banks of the Lot and thus be closer to her granddaughter. “She feels really good. It’s reassuring for the families to know that I’m around,” argues Sarah. The apartments, which vary from 30 to 50 m², are spread over three levels. The owners have installed a new generation lift around the staircase to access it, offering all the necessary comfort to the flatmates. Rents range from €775 to €975 per month – electricity included – to take advantage of one of these apartments in an exceptional setting. Nicole, a second lady then visiting, is enchanted by the place. It must be said that moving into a castle in Villeneuve does not happen every day.