It turns out that a friend I knew in Indonesia moved to France in 2018. She and I were in Bahasa Indonesia language classes together and I also knew her through the American Women's Association. She and hubby first settled in Paris, then Colombes and finally purchased a home near Usson just last September.
Where is Usson? About 45 km (less than 30 miles) from our apartment in Clermont-Ferrand but still in the same region- Puy-de-Dome, near the larger area of Issoire. We had mostly been chatting by text but with another lockdown seeming to be definite we took the opportunity to visit their place on a recent weekend. It turns out their property contains 2 houses and several barn-type structures and it is apparently a "hamlet". Basically, they own the hamlet. It's called Les Granges Mathussieres.
These pictures were taken on our drive out on January 31. As you'll see, at times the sky was not very inviting.
The weather was not too cold (we still wore winter coats) but it was a combination of cloudy, some sun, some drizzle during our visit. We all wore masks and kept at proper social distance and even sat outside to have a cup of tea during our visit. Note: It even began to drizzle while we sat outside! They have accomplished a lot with the property since September. The house dates to 1899 but was not given a lot of care so it needs so much. They plan on using the second house as a holiday B&B type thing. It is a large house and could put up 8-10 people. They've done most of the work on the guest house with hopes of generating income.
We got to meet their chickens and their goats including a new baby born recently and got a quick tour of the buildings. Everything was very interesting but we didn't take any photos. I include here a few my friend had posted.
Their house, though they have just finished repairing/painting the shudders in a darker color.
On arriving at their place we hopped into our respective cars and drove to the base of Usson village to walk up to the top. There is a small parking lot at the base and it includes 2 spots for charging your electric car. Cars are not "allowed" in the village, though we did see a couple. So, if you want to visit, you walk up.
A little history about this place. A lot of these hilltop villages were built on dormant volcano peaks. Note: I didn't take this photo. I swiped it off the Internet. Very little of the castle built on this peak remains. The powerful fortress with towers and triple enclosures was destroyed by a Richelieu decree in 1633,
This village is famous to a great degree because of the presence of "Queen Margot" over nearly 20 years in the late 16th and very early 17th centuries. It is located in the Livradois-Forez Regional Natural Park.
Here is "Queen Margot's" story:
Her full name was Marguerite de Valois. She was Roman Catholic. Her mother, Catherine de Medici, arranged Marguerite's marriage to Henry III of Navarre ( a Huguenot) in hopes of avoiding a civil war. The marriage was supposed to help reconcile the Roman Catholics and the Protestant Huguenots. However, 6 days after the marriage ceremony in 1572 the religious wars resumed with major conflicts.
Marguerite sided with her brother and the Catholics. In 1586 she was imprisoned in the major Castle Usson. She assumed she would be executed but in 1587 her jailer released her (under unclear circumstances). It's not clear to me if she really just chose to stay in the castle or if she was forced to stay. Her husband, Henry III of Navarre became King Henry IV of France in 1589 and she the Queen of France.
In 1593, Henry IV suggested they obtain a "royal divorce" ( an annulment) so he could re-marry. The pair hadn't had children and he wanted an heir. He needed her support to get the annulment.
Years passed. While still at Usson, Queen Margot trained several courts of intellectuals, musicians, writers, etc., and even restored the castle. Eventually, Henry IV returned to Catholicism. In 1599 the annulment was granted. History seems to indicate she received generous compensation for the annulment. In 1605, she left Usson and returned to Paris.
So how high is this peak? The minimum elevation is 394 m (1293 ft), the maximum elevation is 634m (2081 ft).
Photos from part way up to the top.
This is called the Basalt Organ due to the vertical basalt columns formed during very slow lava cooling processes. These are hexagonal shaped columns. From the top of this geologic feature you are supposed to be able to see the bases of the old castle walls.
Views.
The arrow points to our cars in the lot at the base of the peak.
As we headed back down we got a few minutes of blue sky and this great shot of the Saint-Maurice Church. Built in the 12th century, it was enlarged in the 14th and 16th centuries including the addition of the Queen's Chapel during her time at Usson. The church is only open a few days during summer months.
We got one photo of another hilltop village called Montpeyroux. This was once a wine grower village. Montpeyroux translates to "rocky hill". Catherine de Medici lived here at one point along with her daughter, Marguerite de Valois (Queen Margot). All that remains of the defense system is the 14th century fortified gate with a clock and the imposing tower once inside the fortress. The stone used was in the sandstone family and not black- it was beige. A lot of beige stone was used in Usson as well.
Very interesting and changing skies on the drive home.
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