At the Maison Maria Casarès, a beautiful atmosphere between heritage and contemporary theater

Sleeping in Maria Casarès's bedroom, having breakfast in her dining room, reading in her library, strolling in her living room... Since July 26, the home of the Domaine de la Vergne, nestled in the Limousin Charente, where the illustrious actress (1922-1996) lived regularly from 1961 until her death, is now accessible to all: artists in residence as well as festival-goers and other art lovers. The tragedian, exiled from Franco's Spain, who donated this estate to the neighboring village of Alloue in gratitude to France for having been a land of asylum, would undoubtedly be happy to know that it is now fully restored and dedicated to culture. From the wallpaper to the rustic furniture, the spirit of the place, both simple and warm, has been preserved thanks to an identical restoration, and five guest rooms can be rented there.

This renovation, funded to the tune of €1.2 million by the State, local authorities and the Heritage Foundation, marks the final stage in the transformation of the Domaine de la Vergne, a listed historic monument, into a place dedicated to contemporary theatre, heritage and shared meals. Since 2017, actress Johanna Silberstein and director Matthieu Roy have successfully taken over the management of this cultural meeting center. Their artistic skills have been added to those of "manager, project manager, hotelier, restaurateur" , they list with a smile. It takes all of this, and a lot of perseverance and passion, to bring this cultural initiative to life every year in a rural setting.

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