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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The farmhouse of the Fathers, also called the house of the Haut-Pérat, is a domain located in the Gonds in Charente-Maritime. Built in the early seventeenth century, it became in 1633 a property of the Jesuit College of Saintes, serving as a holiday home for teachers and students. The estate was enlarged in the 18th century with additions such as cellars, presses and a chapel around 1760, before being confiscated as a national property in 1793.

After the Revolution, the house was acquired in 1803 by Jean Vanderquand, then divided among his heirs. In 1895 Léon Triou, whose wife was a descendant of the Vanderquand, bought and reunited the property. He undertook important restorations, especially in the house, which still retains its original structure today: two separate courtyards (bass-cour to the north and court of honour to the south), a central house framed by communes, and a titrated chapel.

The estate has remained in the same family since 1895, managed by a Groupement Foncier Agricole (GFA) grouping the descendants of Léon Triou. In 1997, its facades, roofs and central stairway were listed as historical monuments. The farmhouse thus illustrates the architectural and social evolution of a rural estate, marked by its Jesuit past and its uninterrupted family heritage.

Architecturally, the house is distinguished by its rectangular plan, with a two-storey central section surmounted by an attic, and a prominent staircase pavilion. The entrance door, decorated with Tuscan pilasters and frontons, reflects the classic 17th century style. The lower courtyard, typical of the Charente farmhouses, includes agricultural buildings and a farm house, while the courtyard of honor, closed by a wall with ground pillars, emphasizes the noble character of the place.

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