You know the expression “housewarming”? The one that means welcoming someone to celebrate their arrival in a new home? The Maison de Fondation is an opportunity to see a concrete manifestation of the origins of such an expression.
The building, which dates back to 1812, features an original rack and pinion – a metal rod with notches, placed in the fireplace, on which pots were hung to cook meals. Typically, this “hanging” piece was the last accessory installed in a new home before it was officially inaugurated.
Let’s face it, sometimes it’s a good thing to keep old expressions rather than modernize them. Clearly, “Pendre la crémaillère” is more evocative than “Brancher le poêle”…