Meeting the Original Owners of Our Apartment in Cassis

 

 

 

This is a "d'evier en pierre de cassis" a hand carved stone sink similar to the one in our apartment in Cassis. Most of the homes in Provence had them in the 1800s. In the last home we lived in our sink was like this too.

 

 

Yann met with the family who owned the fisherman's house that we bought. WOW! It has been in their family for four generations. The couple who owned the house are in their late seventies now. Their grandfather was a stone mason who worked in Cassis with the stone from the region, he made the kitchen sink that is in the apartment.

 

They asked Yann if we planned to keep the sink? (it weighs 500 pounds). Usually the sinks don't survive. Usually these type of sinks, are broken out of the wall, as they are too heavy and cumbersome to extract and manage.

 

Yann asked them if wanted the sink that their grandfather had created, and they said no but that they feared we might remove it, they were relived when Yann told them that his crazy American wife had planned to kept it and use as a bathroom sink. They sighed relief, and were pleased. He didn't tell them that I had to beg "BEG" to keep the sink. He didn't tell them, "My wife and I usually see things differently... and she has to pick her "renovating" battles. The sink was one of the battles she picked." No he didn't tell them that. Instead he soaked up their praise, and that means YEAH for me! Maybe when I tell him my next idea he will just say YES instead of, "Of Cor- ay, it is not poss E-bal."

 

 

The Fisherman's house, was divided years ago into five units: One restaurant, Two apartments (we but one) and two storages for the restaurant (we bought one of those as well). Their grandmother had a grocery shop on the bottom floor (where Chez Gilbert Restaurant is now). Oh such history!

 

If you understand French there is a video about Cassis and the famous rocks, Pierre de Cassis (here).

 

Where to buy one? (here).

 

Tons of photos the stone sinks from Cassis on Google, (here)

 

 

Comments

[Diogenes]

At first, I thought the sink was a doorbell ringer. I couldn't quite figure out the scale of the picture, lol. I like the color of it.

So if you bought the storage space to the restaurant, I'm guessing that is the entrance to your apartment?

[Kathie]

Have you dined Chez Gilbert?
http://www.chezgilbert.net/restaurant-menus--reference-1.html

[Kathie]

À la carte:
http://www.chezgilbert.net/restaurant-carte--croissant-1.html

[Andrea]

I think French husband was winding you up!.... He knew you'd never part with that sink!!

[Dori]

I am so, SO glad you get to keep the beautiful old sink! Yay!

[Diane Belforte Lewis]

What a great story, glad you won the sink battle.

[Kipper]

Creatrice d'objet...what a great job title. Does the family have any photos for you of what the place has looked like in the past? Did they have an explanation for the oar that you found under the floorboards?

[Jennifer Phillipps]

That is a fabulous sink - what lovely colours! I am so glad Yann says it is poss-e-bal!! Well done you for trying to keep such treasures and use them all over again. Looking forward to seeing the sink in-situ one of these days....

[Our French Oasis]

Fabulous sink, I would have had to find a way to keep it too! I always think it is so nice to meet the previous owners of our homes, to learn some of the history, for I rather feel we are just caretakers in these ancient houses, looking after them until the he next generation takes over. We have so much history attached to our 200+ year old farmhouse here in SW France, and again we have learned so much from the previous owners who had it for three generations.

[French la Vie]

You rang the doorbell! Yes the storage unit, is the first floor to our apartment. The storage unit held their wine, had a bathroom and a locker room for the staff.

[French la Vie]

Many times. The owner Bob is very kind and his staff wonderful.

[French la Vie]

No he did not want it. No. His favorite line is "Cor-ay it is not poss e bal."

[French la Vie]

Me too. Simply because it belongs there.

[French la Vie]

lol, me too! I usually don't win!

[French la Vie]

Yann forgot to ask. No photos, though with found some old photos of the port I will post them today.

[French la Vie]

Yeah! You are coming to visit!

[French la Vie]

So true. This little fisherman's house has been changed so much, that keeping the sink is the right thing to do.

[DelphineR2M]

Love this "Pierre de Cassis", merci pour cet article!

[Marcia]

I love that sink! Shame we don't have them here in Indiana!

[Linda V]

It would be nice to have some old photos of the building and surroundings there. Perhaps the family would share and allow you to make copies. I bet they have some wonderful family photos from many years ago. They would look nice on those old walls.

[Terri N Texas]

Love the sink! Glad you are keeping it! It will be perfect in the bathroom.

[Gracie]

I would have kept it too....

[La Contessa]

I have one of those sinks TOO!IT was being TOSSED at a remodel in FLORENCE......so I ran HOME and BEGGED......YOU are RIGHT about 500 pounds.LUcky for me it was in THREE pieces!SO< the husband got it in the car and the container that took all of our stuff back to the USA........it NOW resides in MY BATHROOM!He put it back together.......(He is in the concrete business!)AND I SWEAR to GOD if we ever MOVE IT GOES WITH US............mine was a kitchen sink.APPROX. 300 years old!!!!!!!!!XX

[Rebecca from the pacific northwest]

Oh Cor-ay, glad you won the sink battle.