A property, sheltered from view, with a garden and swimming pool, on the north bank of the Loire River, in Tours - ref 912313
A property, sheltered from view, with a garden and swimming pool, on the north bank of the Loire River, in Tours.
Known for its tuffeau stone houses and their slate roofs, the capital of the Touraine region combines a pleasant living environment with proximity to Paris in only 55 minutes via high-speed rail. Within the Indre-et-Loire department, a region full of history and varied landscapes, Tours, traversed by the Loire River to the north and the Cher River to the south, is a dynamic city, deeply anchored in its history, but also firmly turned towards the present, with many shops and services as well as a diverse community life offering a range of cultural and athletic activities.
On the north bank of the Loire River, the property is located at the end of a no-through road within one of the city's peaceful neighbourhoods. Hidden by vegetation, the house, composed of several adjacent buildings, has plaster-coated exteriors decorated with cement tile friezes between its tuffeau stone window/door surrounds. With three storeys, including one under the eaves, the house's ground floor is partially carved out of the rock of the adjacent hillside, whereas, in front, an immense conservatory, effectually expanding the living room towards the outside, primarily faces a landscaped garden with a variety of different trees and perfectly maintained shrubs, as well as swaths of lawn and an ornamental pond. Last, but not least, a swimming pool is located on one side and, extending on from the dwelling, an outdoor area, covered by a slate roof, protects the entrance to the cellars and provides parking for two vehicles.
The DwellingBuilt up against a hillside at the beginning of the 20th century, the dwelling is made up of a central main building, framed by buildings varying in height. Facing east, its main façade is cadenced by rectangular windows framed by tuffeau stone, some of which are highlighted by decorative cement tile friezes, while, upstairs, wrought-iron guardrails adorned with scroll motifs provide protection for the windows. In the middle of the dwelling, a forepart, which contains the front door crowned by a glass awning, is topped by a tented dormer window, two hipped dormers on either side and a sculpted cornice that highlights the house's single-pitch roof. In addition, a conservatory extends the living room towards the exterior and provides access to a stone patio, bordered by the garden, whereas, on the house's northern gable end, an outdoor area covered by a slate roof contains a patio, accessible from one of the bedrooms on the first floor, as well as vehicle parking and the entrance to the cellars.
The ground floor
The front door opens onto a small corridor that provides access to a kitchen on one side and a living room on the other, while, in the middle, is the staircase towards the upper floors. In the kitchen, illuminated by a window that looks out onto the patio, a door communicates with a sauna and a lavatory, while, in the back, a portion of the house, which has been hollowed out of the rock, leads to a laundry room and a cellar. As for the living room, it spans the entire width of the building and is extended by a conservatory, transforming the room into an immense and sunny space with light-colour tile floors and white walls. In addition, a hallway provides access to a room carved out of the hillside's rock - where a tuffeau stone fireplace abuts a stone wall - as well as a shower room with lavatory and a bedroom with hardwood floors and a glass door that provides access to the garden.
The first floor
A landing leads, on one side, to a bedroom and then a bathroom with a shower and lavatory clad in wide anthracite grey tiles and, on the other, to a bedroom followed by a narrow walkway overlooking the living room, which leads to a shower room with lavatory and a bedroom ...
