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This abandoned 19th-century château in France carries the full weight of a family that rose to wealth… and slowly fell apart through generations marked by war. When we entered the property, we immediately noticed how intact everything still was — portraits, clocks, documents, and the personal world of the Meunier family who once lived here. Moments later three French locals caught us inside, but they were incredibly friendly and even helped us get in touch with the real owner so we could document the château’s story properly.
Inside the rooms we found a timeline stretching across more than a century:
the construction of the Neo-Gothic home around the mid-1800s, letters from 1939 during the Second World War, and dozens of emotional pages written by Henry Meunier, a young conscript sent to Algeria in 1958 during the Algerian War of Independence. His letters shift between farm updates and heartbreaking reports of ambushes, wounded soldiers, and the constant fear of not returning home.
The clocks, portraits, and ornate furniture all point to a family that once lived comfortably, supported by agriculture and later by banking. But the atmosphere inside tells a different story. Financial documents from the 1980s show the family still had money, yet the château slipped into abandonment somewhere around the 1990s or early 2000s. There are hints that trauma, loss, and the absence of a new generation to take over left this place without anyone to preserve it.
This episode explores what remains of the Meunier legacy, the objects that shaped their everyday life, and the story of Henry, whose experiences in Algeria may have been the turning point that changed the future of the château forever.
If you enjoy deep historical explorations, emotional family stories, and abandoned architecture that still holds the traces of those who lived there, this is one of the most compelling places we’ve filmed in France.
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![[Multi SUB] （全集）领证当天，未婚妻为白月光放我鸽子！我反手娶了她公司女总裁，现在她得管我叫老板#最火短剧推荐 #短剧全集 #精彩大陆短剧](https://www.theviralist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Multi-SUB-（全集）领证当天，未婚妻为白月光放我鸽子！我反手娶了她公司女总裁，现在她得管我叫老板最火短剧推荐-短剧全集-精彩大陆短剧-300x200.jpg)
Thank you, Leslie! The decay is so complete. The blue clock , didn't know it would turn that colour.
You are by far my favorite explorer. Thank you for this beautiful find. Imagine this being brought back to its former glory..❤
Hi guys about the cars the French call it deux chevaux (2 horses) n not goat like u said. Tq 4 sharing this amazing video. Let’s hope the manoir/chateau will not be vandalized by dishonest ppl stealing all the treasures.I was subjugated by the beautiful wallpaper still present on the walls n the huge beautiful baroque mirrors still intact. I like 4ward to ur upcoming abandoned chateaux discovery🫶👌
Why do you suppose this was left the way it is as if someone just walked out the door? Were you able to find anything in the house? I am amazed that these places have not been looted. Or that the descendants would not at least sell off some of those beautiful pieces that would be so cherished here in North America.
I also love watching the Château restoration channels on YouTube . What energy and a whole lot of money it takes to restore them but so beautiful.
The window on the staircase is original, Lesley – it has to fit the exterior design appearance. But it also serves to allow light in to two different floors of the stairwell.
The blue colour on most of the metal shows that it is copper – but for it to be this amazing colour, this is caused by sulphur in the air. Fossil fuels (like coal) being burnt in the fireplace was probably the cause.
Abruti
Hi Lesley, & Luke………….. Good Morning, Happy Thursday!!
Sorry for the Delay on Watching Your Video…Due To Health Problems!!
Sad To See, a Once Beautiful Castle Outside & Inside…Ruined By Decay!!
The Furniture, Dishes, Piano, Pictures, & Other Things Just Sitting There…Hoping Maybe a Relative Sees the Video!!
Sad Also To See So Much Trash Thrown on the Floor!! Wow 3, Cars Left…I Think a Collector Would Want Those Cars!!
Thanks Both of You To Share the Video, Narrate & Film It!! Take Care & Hope You Had a Safe Drive To Your Next Adventure!!
Have a Wonderful Day…Lesley & Luke!! Love, Barb from Central Illinois USA I Will Share Your Video to Facebook
Beyond repair
Шато же ля перду
Hey hey, dear Lesley, I had to rewatch after the lifestream more restfully your explore video, as I especially love your French castle documentations. Again a really fascinating location with a quite intriguing background history, you were exploring together with Luke! I very much enjoyed watching! – A lot of beautiful antique furniture was visible, as well as smaller interesting antique items. – I found your informations about the France- Algeria war helpful and very interesting, because I actually also didn't know a lot of that sad period in history. Very well done, my friend! – Of course I don't want to miss mentioning how well Luke was again doing with his camera!
Wonderful video, bro!
Wishing you all the best, blessings, peace and much love! – Happy greetings from now quite cold Switzerland.
It's so sad to see these places fall apart. There should be a search for family members on the part of a government agency or a private agency working with the government to find out where the descendants are and if there are none, these places should be put on the market and sold. If not, these places will rot away. It's a terrible waste.
😮🎉
DO NO STORE UP TREASURES ON EARTH. PERFECT EXAMPLE HERE.
Lesley, I would never let you look that bad on tv if you were my man
❤
It's called a drawing room….like today's family room.
PLEASE STOP DOING THIS, there will be people who do not respect the culture, families, architecture who WILL DESTROY AND STEAL everything. Driving distance away.
Krásná historie diky 💖🌹🌹💖🌹🌹💖🏰👍
Verdigris.
Copper content is what turned those decorations the bright blue-green, and bronze with high copper content will also patina like that. If you think of the Statue of Liberty, copper is the reason for her greenish coloring. The bronze that did not have the same patina probably had higher tin content and less copper.
I hope they save every this beautiful castle and turn it into a museum
I would love to inspire you to visit the history of Ireland, Poland and Tsjechië…much to explore! I think I need to sponsor you! So I'm running off to your merge store🎉!! Love you and thank u for these amazing experiences you share with us
That must be some of the purest copper I have ever seen. I have never seen a color that brillant. Not once but on multiple items. Enjoyed the video Lesley and Luke. Take care❤
Finally ur bac and time to relax to ur video❤
This must be the largest compilation of break-in frenzied crimes on yt!If you want to see the inside of a statley manor or castle I suggest the following. Book a tour at Buckingham Pallace or an estate or buy youre own!!!!Don't go breaking into other people's houses reading their personal property ect .THIS IS WHY WE CANT HAVE NICE THINGS PEOPLE!!
I really love the look of this castle from outside. Inside is very cool also. Please somebody buy and restore this castle. Thanks for sharing.
Y’all are funny about the oxidized, copper being unsafe. 😂
Anyone else notice rich/travel/and many children when they only had maybe 2 ……who writes the history has control and today we know they are evil
Letters were extremely important ! I have read some of my families’, and they were 4 to 5 handwritten pages long! During WWII, my grandmother got a letter saying my Dad was killed. Little did she know, there was a mix-up. A few days later she got a letter from my dad telling her there had been a mix-up and he was fine! Letters were important !!!
When photography first came out, the queen of England first took pictures of her family dressed in regular attire, so as to show her people’s they were just like them. Having a rough time because of the war. They started making groups of photo cards, showing the family. People would want to buy the set.
When Albert died, they took photos of her in her black mourning dresses. So her people felt for her. Soon they tired of that and started taking photos of her as regal queen. They even could touch up the photos, making her a little skinnier. Taking some bulk off her chin.
After the wars, the postcards became popular for people to send photos to their families about where they traveled or where their home was. My family has many postcard books because they live in a little village called Nikitsch, Austria. My Mother went there a few times. During WWII my grandmother and grandfather escaped from Austro-Hungary when the iron curtain went up.
Animal spirits have a difficult time being put to rest when part of their bodies are hanging off a wall.
It is probably not patina. It’s called bronze disease. It’s corrosive. When seen early must be brushed off then a thin layer of wax. It will go to other places and metals if not taken care of. Usually in salty areas like the sea or ocean 🌊
A lovely house.💒
The toile wallpaper, in the room with the tall clock is gorgeous ❤
❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊
Fascinating as usual, you boys be safe always, enjoying adventures galore.
great discovery and nice moustache 👌
this is called breaking and entering. you have been reported to the police ! evidence is this video
Saya dari Indonesia
Appreciate your exploration so we can live vicariously though you. I would love it if you would zoom in on and pause on pictures a bit longer. I think the photos personalize the exploration and give a sense of history in addition to the architecture etc…
Great place. We unfortunately have so many abandoned castles like this one in France.
The problem is the Inheritance tax on buildings i assume 70% of the time that is why it is abandoned those country's needs to look at that and fix it because it is a cause of what is happening to these buildings and it is heart breaking.
!I'll the tarnished items need constant polishing to show their beauty I'm sure a small army was needed keep the place livable😮Thank you for sharing this wonderful place🎉
The last known occupants were the Meunier family, who left the property around 2003. The gentleman in the painting was likely a male relative from an earlier generation of this family. At 10:18 notice at bottom of scream multiple orbs can be seen floating along before they disappear. 👻