L'Envers de Xoulces

L'Envers in the Vosges mountains is the North facing side of a valley just like the Ubac in the Alps.

Located in the in the Valley of the Xoulces, at the heart of the Vosges mountains, the main characteristics of this gem, built in an old quarry, is its contemporary architecture inspired by the “grangette” a small agricultural building. The Grangette is part of the Vosgian architectural heritage which is unfortunately disappearing but can still be found here and there in the local landscape.

Using the steepness of the ground, the house has been organised into 3 levels :

Main entrance, the bedrooms and bathrooms on the 2 bottom levels.

Living space / kitchen with 360° view, and terrace giving access to the upper part of the ground, on the top level.

Thanks to the orientation of the valley (East/West) and of the building (North/South) you will be able to enjoy continuous and optimal sunshine in the living space and on the terrace.

The project was conceived and built according to the “very low energy” criteria for example, superb insulation and triple glazing, and mainly using organic materials, principally wood. The woodburner, the natural sunshine and the MVC (Mechanical Ventilation Controlled) take care of the heating of the house. Rainwater is used for the toilets and the watering of the garden.

Ground surface area :45 m²

Living surface :100 m²

Type of wood : autoclaved Douglas des Vosges

Project start and completion : June 2014 to January 2015