Let’s go back to the beginning of the story.  Before acquiring the Abbaye, Joy and Martin Cummings proceeded with the purchase of the Chateau Loizerolle and the outbuildings, (barn and cross listed, Saint Sylvestre chapel, former farmers’ cottages, meadows, vegetable garden, woods etc), all set in 26 hectares.

This was back in May 2002.  An inheritance problem brought the sale to a standstill, so the Cummings family acquired the Abbaye.  Then in November 2007, a dramatic turn of events:  Martin Cummings, who will soon celebrate his 65th birthday, learns that he has become the new owner of Loizerolle.  With the legendary British composure, the likeable Martin receives the news with mixed feelings.  This new challenge motives the man in his sixties, but when he does his sums, he realises he is going to have to come up with both money and ideas.

After 12 years in the Navy and 9 years in company management in England, he’s used to challenges.  A tireless worker, he then managed a pub with his wife Joy.  They then ran a small hotel before making a success of a ‘palatial’ chateau and then coming to join their son at Abbaye de la Bussiere.  “I enjoy building businesses.  I fell in love with this chateau and now that I own it, I’m going to dedicate myself to it”, Martin Cummings confides during our visit of this imposing residence.  “This will be a library.  There I’m going to have a bathroom with a raised jacuzzi, so that I can see the beautiful scenery surrounding the chateau.  This room will be our bedroom”, he continues.  “It’s magic!”

Magic?  Not altogether, since as you look up, you can see a very damaged roof.  “In March, I’ll start work on the roof.  It’s a priority.  I’m also going to restore the pink brick walls, which look so lovely in the sun”, the ‘gentleman’ continues.  He will be saving a big part of the Burgundian heritage.  Because it must be said, people of Martin Cummings’ calibre are few and far between.  Those who like to judge others and see people here who are just hungry to swallow up everything, are wrong.  These people are benefactors.

Let’s carry on with the visit.  Inside the chateau, murals painted by an artist will be renovated by another artist, a friend of the Cummings.  The aging chimney places are in serious need of renovation, as are the walls, the ceilings, the terrace and all the rest.  Martin Cummings is aware of that and isn’t complaining.  He’s already visualised it and has already rolled up his sleeves.  Passionate about gardening, our happy owner is going to create a market garden, in order to supply the Abbaye’s chef.

As far as the outbuildings go, the Loizerolle barn, 38m long x 18.40m wide x 7.50m high, is listed but completely dilapidated.    The recent freezing and thawing hasn’t helped matters.  Only last weekend, one of the arches collapsed.  “We need to act quickly and the initial costs are estimated at 2 million euros.  In the next 5 years, some 6 million euros will be invested.  I’m thinking of converting these outbuildings into ‘gites’ in order to generate some income”, says Martin Cummings, who, with the Abbaye’s restaurants and hotel, will have spent somewhere in the region of 15 million euros.  They are currently installing a brand new, environment-friendly drainage system.

Loizerolle is situated right in the north of La Bussiere, 7 km from the Abbaye and at 564m altitude.  The chateau dates back to the XIX century, but the site used to have an abbey.  Twelve, (like the apostles), monks lived there in 1130, before going to the current Abbaye some years later, following a fire.  The history of Loizerolle began when Garnier II, Lord of Sombernon, gave his ‘Aseraule’ land to Etienne Harding, (third abbot of the Abbaye Citeaux and ….English), so that the monks could establish a monastery.

This land remained the home of the monks, who build farming facilities, including in particular the enormous barn, which M. Cummings is going to try to preserve.

The Revolution put to an end to monastic life and the Abbaye and Loizerolle were sold to various people.  Before the sale to the Cummings, Loizerolle belonged to the Lasserre family.

In 1988, the monastic barn ‘Dimierre’ and the Loizerolle cross were added to the list of ‘Historical Monuments’.