The house near the lake, Les Ages, chateau Bruzac, Church St. Crepin de Richemont

 

This page is about episodes: Birthright 26, Nemesis 28. There are 3 locations: Les Ages, ruins of Bruzac (exterior shot only) and the the Lake house. The Lakehouse is on another page.

Episode Exit the dragon 36 is also shot in Les Ages and Boschaud. And Trolls is also shot in Les Ages. 4 episodes , 4 locations that run through each other, not that easy but I do my best.

 

St. Crepin de Richemont surrounding - About the town

The four episodes above were made in a same town called "Les âgés" (the aged in English), in Dordogne, France. And the producers did a really good job to hide this to the viewers.

If you watch the episodes separately, you'll find it hard to figure out. "Les âgés" town belongs to a township, a commune called "Saint-Crépin-de-Richemont", which is also a town where

the church used in "Exit the dragon" is. It is 2.4 km from Saint-Crépin-de-Richemont town by the road. There's not much to say about this town, except that it's typical of the region. For

example, there are houses with ballet stairs, like in the farm of "La Bertinie" in Bourdeilles (see at ep. 29 the pit and ep. 30 The rock). As you can see on the satellite view, the town is

rather small, with a dozen of houses and barns. It hasn't changed a lot in 30 years though. So it's still easy to recognize the places used in the series. 

 

Episode Birthright, Trolls and Exit the dragon.

Les Ages! C. Petit found this village. We finally found the other locations nearby. It was a lot of work, but also fun.

 

He made wonderful drawings of the villages to make it clearer.

The characteristics were compared. The ancient village was really worth searching for. This is a ancient pearl and was in at least 4 episodes of season 2!

                         1 Birthright 26 (main part of this episode is filmed it this ancient town)

                         2 Trolls 27 (in the village and the unknown cave, see the cave pictures below of this page)

                         3 Nemesis 28 (this town again in the beginning when Yanek enters the village looking for Tell, the hunting shed near the lake, Boschaud where Tells meets Yanek).

                         4 Exit the dragon 36 (Boschaud and this village).

 

 

The location of the forest the baby was found: Probably near. Birthright started in the forest. It could be around here, it could be elsewhere. Scene: Tell and Matthew were hunting.

Matthews idea to camouflage themselves. They find a baby that is left in the forest by superstitious villagers. When Tell enters the village with those stripes and they see the baby return.

They think the Devil's comes to get his child. The turmoil begins.... In the meantime Matthew was looking for milk, found a cow, but got arrested by the farmers. He got stuck on a farm.

 

Episode 26 Birthright

Scene: William rescues an abandoned baby and brings him back to his mother in town. But the angry villagers threaten to kill him, because

they think the mother is a witch. William tries to convince the villagers to accept the baby and the mother and to take care of them.

Scene you see above: Troubled villagers just saw a big man entering their village. With camouflage stripes still on his face from the hunt...
He carries the baby they exiled. They think the devil came with the 'devil's child. The location of this scene: number 1 of the map.

The south of this town. The walls and windows are still the same. In Crossbow it looked old and it still does! Amazing. The wooden shutters are still the same. Still there.

 

A framework of wood in front of the window

The framework. This wooden frame is there not to mask something, but just because it belongs there ;).

 

Above and below. The wood is still the same after 30 years! And it's not hidden for the rain and wind. It's like time stood still...

    2017                                                                                                                        1987

 

 

Even the same shutters

 

Wooden shutters in the same state as 30 years back. Amazing! 30 years in all weather conditions.

                 1987                                                                        2017

 

1987 All the picture you see below, It's in opposite of the ones above. It's 1 on the map. 

                                                                                                                      The window above Tell is the left small window. 2017                                                                                                            

 

1987                                                                                      2017                                                                                                 1987

 

I keep placing this map in between these photos, so you can easily read the numbers.

While walking further up town...Curved roofs and a shed with a huge door.

 

Tell is walking to the square to the Mother's house (balcony stairs home) - number 2 and 3 on the map).
Here is a comparison between the two episodes below, with "Birthright" on the left, and "Nemesis" on the right. We can see the same barn on both pictures:
 

  1987 episode 26 Birthright                                                   1987 episode 28 Nemesis                                                          2017                                

 

Left behind Tell is also a 'balcony stairs house,' (this is not the mother's house. You see this house in the back many times).

 

The Curved roofs

The beautiful ancient village with the curved roofs we were focused on. You don't see that often.

                                                                                                          Birthright                      and                                  Nemesis                  

 

Almost the same place but different camera angle, both sides of the alley typical curved roofs. 

 

Location related: We were looking for this village for a long time. We discovered the curved roof lines.Unusual for this area.

1987                                                                           2017

The long building (about 40 meters long, between 1 and 3) is also visible from this place. It has barns and some apartments on the second floor.

 

Interesting detail above: the house behind William has a curved roof, which is rather unusual in Dordogne.

 

The Square

The square (2) it is visible in episode 28 Nemesis (arrival of Yanek) and in episode 26 Birthright: The scene with the mother is here.

                                                                                          

                                             2017                                                                       Between those buildings they had made a fake wall 2017

 

 

                             1987                                                                                       2017                                  

 

 

This path above: 3 scenes from 2 different episodes were shot here.

- Birthright: Tell walks into the village with the baby. Villagers flee here.

- Matthew is looking for his father in Birthright.

- And intro scene of Nemesis: Yanek walks in on his horse.

 

Scene: And below the place Matthew sees his father back (episode Birthright). Here they stand in front of the shed.

     2017                                                                                        1987                                                                                 1987

The shed in this alley
Above a scene of Matthew standing in front of this shed (Birthright) and below gathering villagers in this shed (Birthright).

The place the people discuss about the 'devil's' baby. It's in the shed with the huge door. The interior of the building...hasn't changed much.

     1987                                                                                           2017                                                                                2017                         

 

                          1987                                                        2017 The front of the long building

 

     

The long building (on the map: between 1 and 3).

This long building is damaged at the front. The mother's house (3) is in opposite of it. It's tidy and in a good state. The wall with the diamond window is in the front of the long building.

I always thought it was a door but It's a diamond. You see this window further on this page. During Crossbow parts of the front were already in such a bad state, the needed to cover it

with straw roofs. Probably the cameraman and figurant didn't mind to risk their lives to get in there for a single shot. When the roof is leaking, the wood gets worse and support beams

getting too bad. It's a waste. I hope one day someone will restore this building. A striking similarity is the window behind Tell.

See the stones of the corner of this building, it seems intact.                                                                                                                                  

Below: The damaged wall. Tell walks around the corner. During Crossbow this wall looked fine, but nowadays the

front of the building is damaged and almost collapsing.  Scene: Tell is walking to the square to the mother of the baby.

    

A leaking roof

I hope this building can be saved. A part of the buildings seems better, it's the part with the 'diamond window' in it...you read more about it some rows further.

In Crossbow they seems to skip parts of this building. They partly covered the front by a straw roof. The other houses around are in a better state!

 

It seems the rain is able to fall in, the woodwork quickly deteriorates, the wall is almost bent through. I wish they had made a new roof on it. During

Crossbow this building must have been no eye catcher at all, cause it always kept hidden, but I'm sure It was in a better state than nowadays. Some even better than 1986.

They are restored, you can see It's done with much care to keep the ancient atmosphere.

 

2017 Look at the straw roof           

 

Opposite of above  

The diamond window, more about it down this page                                                                                                         

 

Nemesis intro, shot through the diamond window. With a view on the square.                        Birthright                                                 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Place 2 - The main square and the decor

There are many fake sets here: a fake wooden wall and a fake fountain in episode 26 "Birthright", replaced by another fake well in episode 28 "Nemesis.

Scene: (In Birthright) A tied down mother cries for her baby. (In Nemesis) A mercenary, Yanek, stops to enter an inn to ask where Tell is. Situated as number 2 on the map.

The well is fake and changed in both scenes. Nowadays at almost the same place is placed a well again. The huge wooden door is changed into a different new one.

 

To compare:

You can see the changes (the wall and the well)

           2017 modernized                                                                       Birthright 26  1987                                          Nemesis 28, Yanek mounted off

 

Yanek rides to the square number 2

It's most likely Yanek enters the wooden door behind the legs of the horse (left above) But we never can be sure ;)

  

 

                                                                                                       Birthright 26                                                             Exit the Dragon 36        

 

                                          2017                                                           1987  Birthright      2017 The building on the right is out of sight, see another photo of it, 1 row below.            

In front of the damaged building (left above), kept out of sight.

1987                                                                                                   2017

    

 

2017

    

 

3 - The mother's house

I call it the mother's house, because it's where the mother of the abandoned baby lives in the episode 26 "Birthright".

It's also where the lady was imprisoned by the black knights in episode 36 "Exit the dragon". It has external staircases.

 

Below we can see a house with balcony stairs (3) typical of the region. They are covered with a little roof, and have a ramp made of stones.

    Comparing those episodes on the same place

                        Birthright                                                       House 3 - Exit the dragon                                                                                    

 

In opposite of the square is the building with the diamond window. Nemesis intro.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

1987      Tell is followed by the villagers (the brick in the upper doorpost is restored - building 3).   2017

 

Scene: Fear, anger and incomprehension. Location: Square

  

       

Matthew and the farmers have arrived.

     

           ***********************************************

 

Episode 28 Nemesis

Nemesis starts in Les Ages and later in 'The Lake house'

 

This lake house is in one episode: 28 Nemesis.

1986                                     The front of the house                                            2017

The water side is full of bamboo, reed and bushes. This makes the lake almost invisible, while standing in front of the house.

                                      1987 folder shot                                           This house lies in such a peaceful area, May 2017, Nowadays a bit overgrown.

                    Looking to the east side.                                                                                                              Below: Taken from the other side of the pond

 

 

'The goodbye scene' is in front of this house.

 

     Stefan returns one more time in episode 42 'The Promised Land.' This is Matthew's last episode. He is going to marry Rosa.

   

It hasn't changed much, only a new roof that suits the house well. There used to be a nameplate above the door... maybe the same as now.

During Crossbow it's covered with some hay. (If you take a very close look above the concrete door frame, you can see the nameplate).

 

The small rack, for the climbing plants, was already there on the same spot.

It's a hidden on a nice and peaceful place in the forest. It seems a hunting shed nowadays and it's new roof is well done. Idyllic place.

 

     Crossbow promotional folder shot 1987                     2017  It's almost looks like Crossbow is recorded here yesterday.

Like nothing has changed at all.

 

The eastern field

The group of trees behind Tell didn't change much over so many years.

                    2017                                                                                   The field around 1987         

 

                                                        1987                                  

 

 

Talk from father to son.

Scene: Matthew recovers well. The previous episode he was shot by farmers in ep. Trolls. Actually the trap was set for for enemies but accidentally hit Matthew.

 

On this spot Matthew and Tell having a talk about Matthew's future, while Rosa is passing them.

Sadie Frost as 'Rosa,' the girl Matthew fell in love with.

 

    1987 Tell is sharpening the knives before he meets his enemy. The door left is where Tell is sharpening the knives.

 

And the last door he asks Rosa. Photo: 2017 

 

At the lake behind the house

1987       Behind Tell you can see a part of the house.      2017    

 

 

 

The house is surrounded by forest. Scene: Stefan tells William about the man he met this morning. Every day that

Tell doesn't show up he will kill somebody. Tell is worried and asks Stefan to look after Matthew if he doesn't return.

 

    1987        One of these three trees spared? Most of the big ones are just cut.          2017           

 

2017  The trees...  you probably see them on the piles ;)

 

Some one with 'tree felling drift,' perhaps the European biomass pandemic?

Some of the trees are still recognizable, some are cut...like you can see... The 3 trees with a rope in between, where Tell is practicing his sword

fighting for the suddenly returned Yanek, are all cut. Also exact the place where Tell and Stefan used to have a chat. A lot of trees have been cut down.

 

To the monastery

 Scene: Matthew notices his father's worries and hears about Yanek. Tell needs to meet Yanek in the old monastery. He decides to meet up with Yanek first and tells Rosa

about it. In the early morning Tell realizes Matthew is gone and Rosa may not tell him about it. Then Tell realizes he has no minute to loose...and goes after Matthew.

 

Scene: Matthew on his way to the old monastery (exterior of Bruzac, Interior: Boschaud). He wants to protect his father against Yanek.

He gallops along beautiful overhanging cliffs (right photo). I've seen these kind of rocks in front of Bourdeilles and above Paussac et Vivien.

 

You see a shot of  Chateau Bruzac 1987, but in fact the ruin is in Boschaud (right picture 2017)

 

 Via Bruzac, over the bridge (Faucher?) to Boschaud.

 

Chateau Bruzac

Tell and Matthew on their way to Yanek to the old monastery.

The old monastery actually seems to be Boschaud. But they make you believe it's this exciting ruin in the back.

 

    1987 The Crossbow shot, taken from the left (down the river).                                       2015  Bruzac                                  

  

This ruin is filmed from the distance as far as we know. No scenes inside. There isn't really an interior anymore. Only the towers and walls. The shots of this ruine

are taken from a left and low angle. The first lord of Bruzac, Hélie Flamenc, appears in 1040 in a deed of donation to the abbey of Uzerche that he makes with his wife,

Attiburge, sister of the bishop of Limoges.

His son, Guy, is mentioned as a donor to the monastery of Vigeois in 1112 and 11434. By an act passed in 1243, Gui VI, viscount of Limoges, recognizes that he holds

the bishop of Angouleme half of the castle and the honor of Bruzac. In the following century, in 1244, following an inheritance, the Flamenc brothers share the site.

It is probably from this date that two castles will rub shoulders in Bruzac. In 1258, a dispute opposes the Viscounts of Limoges and those of Rochechouart for

the suzerainty of the co-seignory6.

 

In Boschaud

Matthew misjudges the strength of his enemy.  The switch to chateau Boschaud is another page.

Tell arrives...even he has big trouble to survive.

 

-----------------------------------------------------

 

Trolls episode 27

On the map number 4, 6 and 7. North west side of the village. An ancient town with so many 'faces.' It's a peaceful village...

looks like the old part is abandoned but when you stay a little longer you hear and see people are really living here.

 

Main place of Trolls (Map 7).

 Matthew is badly injured by a trap set by scared farmers. The traps are made to kill the 'trolls.' First the farmers refuse to help Matthew because they have too much problems theirselves,

like the bailiff. Later they decided to help. The trolls, who are in fact religious albino cave dwellers, will eventually save Matthew and help the farmers to get rid of the filthy bailiff.

 

The location of Exit the Dragon and Trolls.                    

             

When placing this photo I found out that both trees are as old as Crossbow exists.  They doesn't look like trees of 30 years. I thought they were younger.  

                                                 Right picture is shot during Trolls in the early morning that why It's so dark.                                            

The same angle. This spot hasn't changed! The right door is closed by a wooden door.. that's all. And the same trees grew... During Crossbow they were so small.

(photo middle below. This shot was early that's why It's dark) Strange to walk into a place that hasn't changed in 30 years! As a kid I watched Trolls and It's great

to visit this place. No trolls around but I had a eager to see how the rest of the villages was looking like.. I could hardly believe The village is almost the same.

If I was walking into the Crossbow scene and walking back in time 500 years back.. I was wondering what else was there to see and It's worth visiting because

time stands still, life seems to slow down here and I even doubt if there is internet nowadays...even in de modern houses...I think It's good there is not...

1987                                       1987 early morning, the tiny tress have grown                                                 2017   

 

Nowadays anno 2017

 

1987   Trolls                                                                2017                                                                                 2017        

 

1987 Trolls                                                                                          2017               

 

The bailiff takes all they had and there is another problem...the trolls. Left: Georgia Lyman.

 

The Trolls and villagers do realize they have only one enemy. They start to work together.

    

  North northwest side of the village,

Number 6 on the map

1987 riding out the village                            2017  The electricity pole is new, in front of the shed.                                     Seen from the village           

   

To compare different episodes:

Leaving the village in the end of Trolls and entering the village in Exit the dragon on the same spot

 

        

Trolls entirely shot at place: 7    Exit the dragon: 3,4 6 and 7    Nemesis: 1,2 and 3   Birthright: 1,2,3 and 4

 

3 Nemesis, A brief compilation.

Most of the pictures, I have already showed on top of this link, but here are the extra per episode. Yanek, a dangerous mercenary, arrives in town to find and kill William.

Beware Yanek entered the village. See the electricity pole and you can see the electricity cables. Yanek rides into the village from 1 to the square on 2.

 

                                             I was wondering if this is the same woman.      The interior of nemesis lakehouse seems not in there but in les Ages.

 

Yanek rode through a part of the village - The shed with the big door. (map 1)

Episode Nemesis, Yanek entered the square. This is opposite of the place Tell hold the baby (Birthright),

 

The mother's house (3) is in opposite of the square (2)

The house in les Ages Tell, the mother and the baby hide

    

 

The Shed in les Ages (1)

 

This is the shed from the outside (1)

 

 

 

A new farm around the corner of this town - (8 on the map) The farm where Matthew gets caught.

Scene: Matthew tries to find some milk for the abandoned baby (Birthright), but he is caught by the farmers who make him their slave. This farm was used

only once in the four episodes at "Les âgés". Matthew needed some milk for the baby he found in the forest and took away the milk from the farmers.

 

 

Location: While looking at the village I realized this could be the back of the farm of the west side. I'm almost convinced but couldn't check it because

I found out later. It's not a path you easily come.. there was route but It seemed to lead nowhere so I didn't walk the path. Seems a private backyard of a farm.

 

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5 Exit the dragon - Episode 36 (S2 EP 12)
The town is destroyed by something so powerful that people think it is a dragon. But William, who doesn't believe

in dragons, will discover that they are attacked from Boschaud by Gessler and his new toy : a canon...

 

4 - The destroyed place

The destroyed place was not really destroyed, but it was where Gessler bombarded the town in the episode 36 "Exit the dragon".

It is between the main place (2), the mother's house (3), the destroyed alley (5) and the farm of episode 27 "The trolls" (7).

 

5 - The destroyed alley
The destroyed alley was a little bit messy, with tons of debris on the ground. At least it was, for the need of the series of course.

Nowadays, this part is rebuilt and not very recognizable.

 


Exit The Dragon
- INTRO

A mysterious intro. I remember the woman very well. She describes the dragon. Her story and her gaze impressed me.

 

Tell: "What do you mean this is all brought down in two seconds, Stefan, it's not possible." Then a woman appears and said "It is."

Tell: "How?" The woman: "It was the dragon."  Stefan:"....but there a no such things as dragons..." "I was in the forest when I saw it!...roaring like

a hundred wolves....breathing fire from it's mouth. I saw it's breath set fire to the village...when I got there...my home was gone...my uncle was dead..."

Tell: "What can we do?" "Kill the dragon!"

    

She saw the dragon and witness the destruction.. she has one mission for Stefan and Tell....Kill the dragon.

    2017                                                                                   1987

The wall left above is the same you see below in the village. There is a lot of ancient stones that perhaps laid there already while shooting

and later built up again or got removed. Anyway...there is a concrete floor now and tiny little walls of stones. You see it when you enter de garden. Perhaps these are stones

that laying around in Crossbow. This place has changed a bit nowadays. The place I'm talking about is exact on the spot of the photos above where Stefan

is taking care of the frightened child. 

This must be the in between spot.. but changed a little.

 

             

                                 2016                                                  Black powder destruction. 1987                                              1987          

 

'Never seen so much destruction before. It's impossible, Stefan.'  Tells has heard before about the gift from Lotus (episode Lotus 21).

 

                                    Alley                            

During the visit of the town I start to realize the beginning of Exit the dragon took place right here. Some photos are convincible, Now there are some open gardens and little

paths to houses. You see little walls and some pillars against houses. The pillar you see behind Tell, is collapsed. in fact is this the other side of the long building I spoke about

in top of this page. It has on the other side a huge crack in the wall and the front is in bad state. Below this is the place with a little square that gives entrance to some houses.

    2017                                                                                                                       1987

 

The pillars (visible on the middle photo) are from the building of the right photo. There are two supporting pillars but they filled the part in between with stones too and it is overgrown now.

 

     

 

To compare

 

      Trolls                                                                 Exit the Dragon

 

The other location of Exit the Dragon is chateau Boschaud (it's on another page. Click here). 

 

 

Lucio walked out the left big door.

 

 

 

 

 

The Mother's house

 

  

      

The church St. Crepin the Richemont in episode 36 'Exit the Dragon'

The pillar and the window is recognizable. In episode 36 'Exit the dragon' is also the 'castle without walls' like Gessler called it. The ruins of Boschaud! Click here

1987                                                      2017                                                           1987

 

 

 

The font on the right picture above, you can see it in front of Stefan and Tell on another spot.

Look at the door                                                                                                                                                    

  

The renovation of the church started, parts changed....the ceiling and the blue color is different and the spots of lights are new.

 

Also near St. Crepin the Richemont, Click here to the link of the house near the lake

 

 

The last location: Trolls cave

The cave of Trolls un known location. It looks like a cave north of Paussac et Vivien, but doesn't seemed to match,

but has characteristics. Maybe the 30 years things changed or even disappeared.

 

 

 

        

 

I visited some caves in the area for fun. I like to hike. Crossbow connection points makes It more fun. All caves were beautiful and

their environments too. But one, within 2 miles north of Paussac et Vivien next to the road, a little up was one with the special black and

white triangles. But the entrance didn't correspond, the entrance left is another one than the cave right.. but this entrance looked pretty well..Yes or no?