Sebastian, the châtelain collector of LIMOUSIN new horizons

Bersac-sur-Rivalier, a small commune in the Monts du Limousin, is home to the Château du Chambon, a 15th-16th century seigniorial residence listed as a Historical Monument. During a guided tour lasting over an hour, Sebastian and Jean-Christophe will take you through 500 years of history, from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance to the world of the Ancien Régime.

Sebastian Griese

Being Limousin means living close to nature, and having the privilege of being able to escape to a magnificent and varied setting, with its ponds, forests, valleys and superb viewpoints.

It also means living with interesting craft traditions and know-how and, of course, good local produce.

Escalier classé Monument Historique avec colonne

His presentation …

My name is Sebastian Griese, I was born in Germany and spent many years abroad in the Philippines and India.

I’ve been in a relationship for 25 years with my partner Jean-Christophe Beaulieu, originally from Oradour-sur-Glane. We have often spent our vacations in Haute-Vienne, both with Jean-Christophe’s family and in our house near Châteauponsac.

After 20 years living in major capitals such as Berlin, Paris, Mumbai and Manila, we felt the need to return to our roots and change direction. Personally, I fell under the spell of the region, and being originally from a German region comparable to Limousin, a small rural area, it wasn’t a real change of scenery for me, as I’m used to living in places close to nature and far from the big cities.

We fell in love with the Château du Chambon and its exterior. When it came up for sale, we decided to buy it, and become châtelains in the north of the Haute-Vienne.

The place to be in Haute-Vienne

I love the chapel at Jabreilles-les-Bordes, with its porcelain stained-glass windows, and its stele in honor of the goddess Epona, unique in Europe. It’s a small heritage site that doesn’t take long to visit, but it’s well worth the detour.

Nearby, you’ll find the Celtic fountain of Saint-Martial, and a little further on, hidden in the countryside, La Vierge du Puy de Jabreilles, which bears witness to the region’s spirituality. As this place is so close to the château, we like to show it off to our visitors.

I also like the Viaduc de Rocherolles, it’s an impressive building. What’s really nice is that you can walk along the Gartempe and admire the different rock formations.

Jabreilles-les-Bordes Autel de la Vierge au sommet du Puy

3 good reasons to adopt LIMOUSIN nouveaux horizons

🍃 It’s a way of showing my attachment to my adopted region, which deserves a stay.

🍃 To showcase the region’s tourist diversity.

🍃 Gathering all forces, symbol of unity to make the destination shine.

Take a look!

@ChâteauduChambon

Sebastian Griese et Jean-Christophe Beaulieu

Their pride...

We’re very proud of what we’ve managed to put in place over the past 5 years. I recently looked at photos of our work, and even though in 2018 the château was in reasonably good condition, I’m impressed with the result.

We’ve succeeded in making this building, with its 500 years of history, a victim of the climate, and in particular its very poor state of repair.

We’ve succeeded in creating a place that I hope will be stabilized for the next 100 years.