Lady Trog’s “onsen”

At the beginning was a dark cave, probably used as a stable, hidden behind the wall of a shed. You could reach it by a side gallery from the main cave entrance, heading to the “cathedral” room. The floor was strewn with loose straw and there was nothing there but an old cement wine tank, covered by a bonding of stones. The shed became the kitchen and we opened from there an access the new bathroom. We closed the way to the main cave, leaving just a large window to let the slanting light coming in. To create a nice ambience, a low voltage line of lamps was installed on half way to the high ceiling. Lighting is also coming from the ground, by one lamp set inside the old pavement, and another one hidden inside an antic Japanese jar. At Bath time, just light up the candles! Set some traditional taps and a large shower knob. The space is ready!

The old pavement comes from an antic store ( the so-called depot-vente); the toilet and the water tank are hidden by a parpen wall covered by a glaze in a Tadelak style ; the stone washbasin shopped at Emmaüs store is placed on an old work bench. In the centre of the room stands a vintage bathtub, luckily bought a few years ago. When you enter the former wine tank through the freshly opened hole, you discover a circular cocoon, with smooth surfaces, gently coloured by the tannin. No need to drill or install pipes. The original system to empty the wine tank still exists. We just added an electrical pump to draw up the waters.

If you ask me where I shop my stuff, I can advise you to visit Les Puces in Montsoreau (every month, on 2nd Monday) : the zinc tub for the shower, the folding seats from a bandstand, the high stools, the pedestal table for the toilets, the dressing table and the pitchers, the chinaware cats and mandarins who watch over like domestic gods. The ceiling is 10 meters high and the bare walls are just natural rock . To emphasize this wild atmosphere, I chose some artificial plants such as bamboos, ferns, ivy. I dream next of a waterfall. During the chilly Winter season, you can use the gas umbrella, as if you were on an outside terrasse. But the best way to warm up is to enjoy a hot water bath. Otherwise, enter the shower room fulfilled by steam and hang your bathrobe on the towel peg . That’s just like a hammam! The atmosphere of my bathroom reminds me of the Japanese hot springs of my childhood, when I bathed along rivers and in some seaside caves.

A bat used to leave in the byre. She still dwells there, above the bathtub. It proves that we didn’t disturb her way of life and took into account the troglo needs. We live in harmony with the Nature, always careful to respect the original balance of the site. One day maybe, we will complete the work and close the window to the main cave. No hurry!

Lady "Trog"