B D Finch Sep 2, 2013:

Assuming this is about the Cathars ... ... In SW France (Cathar country), the ground floor of houses was traditionally used for the animals and people lived on the first floor. This applied eqally to houses built on level ground. My house, even though it was built in the '70s, followed this traditional plan and, originally, only had a garage and storage on the ground floor with only an external staircase to the living accommodation on the first floor. These ground-level floors generally have a lower ceiling height and are locally referred to as "sous-sols" even if they are not "sous-sol".

I haven't time to look it up, but I am sure that the English translation of LeRoy Ladurie's book "Montaillou" would provide an English translation for the non-habitable ground floor.

Helen Shiner Sep 2, 2013:

Basement Basement storey or storey at basement level might work perhaps. I have also seen 'socle storey' though I tend to think of that as being a clumsy translation of the GER Sockelgeschoß which may well approximate to the FR.

JaneD Sep 2, 2013:

Interesting That's interesting information, Alison - especially the first definition, as it's always difficult to elegantly describe that particular setup in a house. Now if only the English had a modern word for sotulum!

Amy Hargreaves (X) (asker) Sep 2, 2013:

Thank you, I had not seen these but they are very helpful.

Alison MacG Sep 2, 2013:

Have you seen? Dans ces villages en pente, telle pièce qui est enterrée du côté de la mongagne est au rez-de-chaussée sur la rue. De ce fait, «cellier» a tantôt le sens français, tantôt le sens de l'anglais «cellar», et le «soutoul» (sotulum) est soit un rez-de-chaussée, soit un sous—sol. C'est pourquoi nous gardons le mot vieux-français.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IqcfAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA934&lpg...

soutoul 6 - Pièce basse située au-dessous des pièces habitées, pour laquelle cave ou sous-sol ne seraient pas adéquats.
http://jean.duvernoy.free.fr/text/pdf/Parnactrad.pdf