Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Maison Boulart bungalow, located in Vielle-Saint-Girons, New Aquitaine, is a colonial building built in the 3rd quarter of the 19th century. He was commissioned in 1859 by Charles Boulart, sylviculteur and master of forges, and is distinguished by his hybrid architecture: a raised wooden ground floor resting on a stone and brick base, half buried in the dune. This constructive approach, inspired by the colonies, contrasts with the traditional seaside architecture of the time.

The interior composition is organized around a massé plan: three enfilade lounges serve four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The large central living room, pivot of space, is illuminated by a zenithal lantern. This bold choice reflects a desire for modernity and comfort, rare for secondary residences of the time. The bungalow, classified Historic Monument in 2002, also includes protected outbuildings: a chapel, a house of carpenters and a boathouse.

The building illustrates the influence of colonial models in metropolitan France, introduced by industrial elites like Boulart. Its location in the Landes, a region marked by forestry and metallurgy, highlights the link between architectural heritage and local economic activities. The carpenter's house and boathouse also demonstrate a domestic and logistical organisation adapted to an isolated coastal site.

Today private property, the bungalow retains an approximate location (map precision considered fair). Its present state and uses (visits, accommodation) are not specified in the available sources, but its inscription under the title of Historical Monuments guarantees the preservation of this unique testimony of the architectural eclecticism of the Second Empire.

External links