LE FOUDRE

LE FOUDRE

A half-tank, oak beams, and pieces of sandstone make up the stock of repurposed material and were the first elements of the design. From the beginning, the first sketches were all about an egg, a cocoon, and a sphere. These were directly inspired by the terracotta jugs used to vinify part of the Copinet Champagne. In the final project, you can sit in this large upside-down barrel, which opens out over the large landscape and guides your sight toward the vines. In this cocoon, two people can enjoy a cozy and intimate cabin-like atmosphere as requested by the sponsors.To host more people, the terrasse creates an extension to the barrel. It is boxed in by a series of porticos connected by spacers made of old oak beams, creating an impressive light show. The placement of the lodge was not randomly chosen: it is situated at the border between the woods and the vines. The structure overlooks the straight vines; its place above the ground allows for gazing over the landscape all the way to the owner’s Champagne production site in the background, all without being seen.

A tank called “foudre” in French is a large capacity barrel, which was used for the storage of alcohols, particularly in Champagne.

Picture: © Axel Coeuret