A renovated house with outbuildings, an orchard and a lap pool, overlooking the River Dronne valley near the town of Ribérac in France's beautiful Pér
A renovated house with outbuildings, an orchard and a lap pool, overlooking the River Dronne valley near the town of Ribérac in France's beautiful Périgord area.
The property lies in the west of France's delightful Dordogne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, between two of the most beautiful villages in France: Aubeterre-sur-Dronne and Brantôme. This area of the Périgord extending around the town of Ribérac is a lush, undulating landscape of colourful fields, mills, streams, Romanesque churches and woods. The old local buildings here are made of white limestone, which makes the architecture especially bright. The River Dronne, officially recognised for its water quality, runs through this corner of France. And in the 19th century, the English writer Edward Harrison Barker criss-crossed the area by foot and canoe - he shared the story of his travels in the book 'Two Summers in Guyenne'.
The property looks away from the village. It lies at the end of a narrow cul-de-sac, which is extended by a shady footpath. It is made up of several distinct spaces in terraces. The main dwelling dates back to the mid-19th century. It has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. It towers upon a plateau and looks eastwards and southwards down at a closed inner court, a former barn and a lean-to garage. This tall, grand house adjoins a medieval dwelling that is not currently lived in. Its base follows the slope to fit with the terrain and make the most of the beautiful view. A mansard roof crowns the house. Gabled dormers and modern skylights dot the roof. The three elevations of exposed stonework are punctuated with large-paned windows with wooden frames, fitted with partly louvred shutters that are painted blue. Renovation work was recently carried out on the property. On the ground floor, the timber beams have been smoothened, the window frames changed, the ceiling repainted and a new kitchen fitted. On the first floor, ceiling boards have been removed, ceiling insulation added and walk-in wardrobes and cupboards fitted. And for the whole place, the electrical system has been revamped, the lap pool renovated and an electric gate fitted in the garage. There is a clear view of the natural surroundings. Lower down, in parallel to a few rows of vines, there is a lap pool. This lap pool is 10 metres long and 2 metres wide. It was built in a spot where swimmers can best admire the sweeping view of the landscape. Work on the lap pool is currently being finished. There is a parking area between the meadow and the lane.
The house
The ground floor
The lounge harmoniously blends wood and stone around a monumental fireplace that complements the electric heating. The room is a combination of old doors, exposed timber beams, pitch pine strip flooring, double glazing fitted in new window frames, and rubble stone with lime pointing. The dining room is bathed in natural light from two windows. Beyond it, there is a fitted kitchen. You can enter this kitchen from the courtyard. From the kitchen, a wooden staircase leads upstairs.
The first floor
A landing serves as a small lounge. An eastern window fills it with natural light and frosted glazing also brings in natural light from a bathroom with a lavatory - the en-suite bathroom of the first bedroom. The second bedroom has a lavatory and a modern shower room. The ceiling is going to be renovated for the sale. As part of this, the wooden ceiling boards will be removed and insulation added. The old windows are wooden-framed with single glazing.
The second floor
A splendid living unit with sloping attic ceilings takes up the entire top floor. It has been masterfully renovated in a way that truly showcases the old beams of the exposed timber roof frame. This top-floor living unit was designed by the prestigious firm Ateliers Jean ...
