French "dark" house

Louviers, France

A labyrinth of a home in the French town of Louviers. An old Norman town about 60 miles North of Paris. In 1647, the history of Susan Loomis's town was filled with local exorcism and witchcraft.

Ms.Herrmann Loomis, a food writer,chef, and teacher, lives in a 12th- century home with an extensive layout and rambling floor plan.




A look at the wandering 350 meter home ( 3,800 square feet ) of living space. The structure - on Rue Tatin, has 15 rooms on three different levels, in a type of labyrinth, with creaky floorboards, spiral staircase and two separate staircases to a separate third - floor rooms on different levels.

A picture of the roof line. A mix match of years of add on's and an over 300 year old residence as a convent. In the beginning, there were squatters within the dwelling along with holes & wall's missing in the rooms ceiling & spaces. The house has clay roof tiles, two fireplaces, rustic wooden beams throughout, and a garden area. Interestingly enough, the wall that divides the property is partly made of tombstones!

The kitchen, the one & only completely modernized room , where Ms.Loomis teaches cooking to students from around the world.The kitchen has what Loomis refers to as her "dream kitchen". An Italian - made Cometto, an industrial behemoth with 6 blowtorch gas burners. The kitchen has hanging copper pots, a locker room for refrigeration and light bright blue colors. One side of the kitchen is fondly known as Loomis's prop room, with hundreds of dishes and other kitchen paraphernalia.....items which make a cook tick!

The roomy wine cellar was a part of the underground tunnel system, that the local village's Catholics used to escape from the French Huguenots in the 16th century, according to local residents lore. I like the standing wire / iron bottle stacker's for storing empty bottles from the wine.

The master bedroom with a great view to two large metal windows, nice comfy looking bedding that looks like you can "sink" into it! A 3,800 sq foot home spanning over three stories of space.

One of the homes six bedrooms. One of her children's bedrooms. A seventh was converted for Ms.Loomis's study / office for writing. Her first trip to Paris involving writing was in 1980 when she was an apprentice in a Parisian cooking school. Loomis returned in 1993 to write " The French Farmhouse Cookbook".

The house bought for $310,000 francs ( $60,000 ) USD from a Parisian antiques dealer. Renovations have followed and after long improvements, a divorce and an economic downturn for real estate for Loomis since 1993. Today, she is working on the house as well as her ninth book, titled- "Nuts." respectfully.....

Text & photos referenced from The New York Times