A 17th century farmhouse in the heart of the Gard Garrigues, a precious testimony to centuries of pastoral life - ref 926443
A 17th century farmhouse in the heart of the Gard Garrigues, a precious testimony to centuries of pastoral life.
In the "golden triangle" of the Gard, between the Cèze and Gardon valleys. Set on a large plateau of 3,800 ha of scrubland part of the Natura 2000 network of nature protection areas, the estate is situated 5 minutes from a village with more than 700 inhabitants, offering shops for day-to-day needs: a grocery, a mini-market, a butcher and a newsagent, amongst others. At a certain distance from the village, the forest road that leads to the property enters the garrigue scrublands, studded with green oaks as far as the eye can see. The farmhouse comes into view at the edge of a vast clearing where sheep graze.
It takes 30 minutes to drive to Uzès and less than an hour to get to Avignon and its TGV train station, Nîmes, its airport and its TGV train station, or to reach the main motorway routes.
The various buildings, with their thick limestone walls, are part of a series of edifices that were erected starting in the 17th century. They surround a courtyard, a space which links and protects the different farm activities. Called a "barn" in the 18th century, this agricultural building consisted of a single structure to the north and an elevation at right angles to the east. Today, only four massive stone pillars remain, distributed around the courtyard. The development of the other two wings still standing today had to wait until the 19th century, when the cultivation of mulberry trees - of which fine specimens remain in the park - developed. At that time, silkworm breeding was at its peak, until a devastating epidemic, pepper disease, ravaged most of the farms in the Gard.
The architectural style of the eastern wing presents all the typical characteristics of a silkworm farm: a long, narrow and tall building, two storeys high, with small regular openings and a gable roof, with a chimney for the ventilation and heating necessary for the growth of the "Magnans" (greedy silkworms). The second wing on the western side was built for the staff who were required to live on the premises. The windows, which are larger in size, receive generous sunlight from the west. From the windows facing the sunset, the view encompasses the surrounding garrigue shrublands as well as the flock of sheep from the neighbouring village that regularly graze nearby. To the north, the building has remained in its original state with, on the lower level, solid cross vaults which sheltered the animals under the hayloft above.
The courtyard facades are entirely lime-rendered and those visible from the outside - with the exception of the east wing - show bonded rubble limestone. The gable roofs are clad with monk-and-nun tiles.
East wing - The silkworm farm Completely restored on the south side, the first and second levels of the former silkworm farmhouse provide comfortable living space. The other end of the building has not been restored but offers a spacious area that can be adapted as required.
The courtyard access to the house is via a straight flight of outdoor stairs leading to the landing; the garden entrance to the ground floor is via the south facade and a wooden door at the north-east corner of the building.
The ground floor
The first level, comprising two rooms, extends over the entire wing. From the north-east corner of the courtyard, a glazed door opens onto the first space, which serves as a workshop, with a wooden terracotta tile floor typical of the region. The second volume, facing south and situated under the living area, is a garage of approx. 45 m², accessed from an opening to the south.
The first floor
From the courtyard, a staircase leads to the first floor landing. The entrance provides access to a fairly spacious living area, divided into two spaces by a wooden staircase. To the ...
