A manor house awaiting renovation with outbuildings, a swimming pool, a lake and almost seven hectares of tree-dotted grounds, nestled in France's Vex
A manor house awaiting renovation with outbuildings, a swimming pool, a lake and almost seven hectares of tree-dotted grounds, nestled in France's Vexin regional nature park, just north of Paris.
France's historical Vexin province dates back to the eighth century, but it also forms a natural region where time stands still. The landscape is spectacular, with limestone hills, marshes, rivers and forests. Here in the country's Val-d'Oise department, vast, unspoilt outdoor spaces give this corner of France a unique, multi-faceted atmosphere. The village lies 15 kilometres from the town of Cergy-Pontoise. The backd-rop is mainly rural. The River Aubette, a tributary of the River Seine, flows through it. The dwellings are grouped together in a village that stretches along the river and through the hamlet of Villette, which is further south and where a famous chateau towers. You can easily reach the manor house via the A15 motorway. It is only 45 minutes from Paris. Amenities for all your needs are nearby.
The edifice stands on grounds that cover almost seven hectares. You reach the property via a lane lined with woods and partly edged with the property's outer wall of exposed stonework. A gate leads onto a long, paved driveway, framed between lawns and box shrubs. A caretaker's house and a garage stand beside this driveway. Straight ahead, there is the manor house, which was built in the 17th century. It gradually comes into view. The edifice has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. It stone facade is coated with pale rendering. Its roof of small, flat tiles was fully renovated a few years ago. On the other side of the building, beyond a terrace next to it, there is a vast area of parkland with a large swimming pool, another outhouse, a tennis court to be renovated, an orchard and a wood that surrounds a lake.
The manor houseThe manor house is in good condition. It is crowned with a gable roof punctuated with four broad dormers. It has been renovated with respect for its old character. The two main elevations have many windows and two large archways. The small panes of the windows bring an abundance of natural light into the rooms.
The ground floor
Several doors, including two that are arched, lead into the ground floor. In the middle of the facade, the originality of the entrance door immediately draws your attention: it is a coffered oak door with a dragon-shaped knocker. You step into a vast hallway with a view of the parkland behind the house. On the right, this hall connects to a first lounge, known as the small lounge, which has a solid herringbone parquet floor. The room also has stained-glass windows bearing lions and a majestic open-hearth fireplace bearing the village's coat of arms. From the entrance hall, a few steps take you down to a corridor with a floor of pale tiles patterned with small, black square inserts. Another lounge, known as the large lounge, stands out for its parquet and exposed ceiling beams. It is bathed in natural light all day long as it has large windows that look out at the garden. Next there is the kitchen. It has a floor of terracotta tiles. At the end of the corridor, there is a dining room with impressive old joists, wooden panelling and an imposing ashlar fireplace.
The first floor
Opposite the entrance, a staircase of solid wood leads up to the first floor. Up here, there is a master bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe. It is the centrepiece of the first floor. This room also has a balcony that looks down at the terrace and the natural surroundings. It has a large bathroom too. Then there are three successive bedrooms and two more bathrooms. The latter are embellished with mosaic flooring and ceramic tiling on the walls. A corridor with a checked pattern, filled with natural light from six windows, connects to all these ...
