This is a tragic tale, but I felt it was necessary to tell it. These photographs were taken on an abandoned farm in France. The family who resided here was involved in a tragic vehicle accident in the 1980s that killed everyone save the mother. The disaster killed her spouse and two small children.
The mother’s grief was great, and she remained alone in this enormous mansion for years. She scrawled ideas and poems on the walls all throughout the house. “Here, I don’t feel loneliness: who knows?” says one such statement in French. Maybe I’m not so alone.” As her mental health deteriorated, she was hospitalized, where she died. Everything is still as it was when a family lived there.
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The exterior
Urban explorers in France are familiar with this specific house. This has been going on for a long time. This location was recommended to me by a French adventurer who also happens to be a friend. I usually discover abandoned houses by driving around particular neighborhoods or utilizing Google maps.
The dining room, covered with thoughts and poems
The woman who survived the disaster lived in the enormous estate for years, her mental condition deteriorating until she was hospitalized and died. She painted poetry and ideas on the house walls to help her cope with her loss. If you look closely, you may read some of these poetry in this image.
“Here, I don’t feel loneliness: who knows?” says the rear wall in blue on the left (most likely her own words). Maybe I’m not so alone.”
Green back wall center: “To gregarious travelling, I prefer my familiar backyard.. (with or without sunscreen). It’s a question of personality, as La Bruyére would say.”
Upper left wall: “On the repainted walls; On the bright trees; “I write your name on my intense 50 years.” -Laferté
“God helps those who rise early,” it says in green behind the green chair.
“You have to believe, of course, believe in yourself,” Françoise Giroud writes in red.
An upstairs bedroom
An abandoned bedroom inside of the home. This was probably the children’s room.
Family clothing
An upstairs bedroom
Inside the home, an abandoned bedroom. This was probably the children’s room. The terrible tale of this property was revealed to me by the individual who toured me around. I think that was also covered in the news at the time. It was both creepy and heartbreaking to shoot, especially seeing children’s possessions and images of them.
Dining room walls
The secret bed behind the dining room walls
I enjoy how each shot may convey a narrative on its own, but reading a sequence of pictures is almost like reading a book. I adore the mystery and having people wonder what is in a certain shot. If they are thinking about a picture, they will likely are that they will recall it in the future.
The woman’s bedroom
What remains in a woman’s bedroom after her whole family was killed in a car accident.
Beside objects
The children
Upstairs bedroom
The woman’s bathroom
The living room
Inside a bedroom
Family clothes
A dresser top
An old photo
The kitchen
Pots on the wall
A downstairs window
The first things I started photographing were abandoned areas and models for fashion magazines. Photographing models in abandoned locations, in particular. I still prefer to shoot people over structures.
Following the popularity of American Decay, I am presently working on a photography book of abandoned sites in Europe. So there will be many more abandoned sites with various stories to tell. I’m excited to share those as well!