A grand, renovated 19th-century house with tree-dotted grounds, tucked away in the the south of France's beautiful Sologne region - ref 293054
A grand, renovated 19th-century house with tree-dotted grounds, tucked away in the the south of France's beautiful Sologne region.
The property is located in a small city between the Loire and Cher Valleys, within the winegrowing region of Sologne, the landscapes of which already provide glimpses of those found in the Touraine region. With Paris accessible in 200 kilometres, this region is filled with history, nature and gastronomy, while the first Loire chateaus are only a stone's throw away, such as Cheverny, Blois, Chaumont, etc. In addition, all local shops and services - including restaurants, banks and pharmacies - are accessible by foot in this dynamic city, which also boasts athletic facilities, a music conservatory and a multimedia library.
Situated close to the town centre, the property is located behind a long stone wall and is accessible via a wrought-iron gate accentuated by a ha-ha and a roundabout and flanked by pillars topped with two impressive hanging Italian-style wrought-iron lanterns. Past the gate, two old outbuildings face one another. Once occupied by the stables and storerooms, they today have been converted into dwellings, built out of brick and stone, in the same style as the private mansion, but one of the two no longer belongs to the estate. However, it could be acquired as an option.
As for the meticulously landscaped garden with its small ornamental pond, lawns and trees, it precedes the private mansion, the main façade of which, sheltered from view, faces southeast.
The manor houseThe manor house was built for a prominent Restoration dignitary, three years after the return of the exiled royalists. King Louis XVIII had just returned to Paris. The construction of the impressive country residence dates to that period. A considerable amount of work was carried out on the facade, a typical feature of many early 19th century mansions. Horizontal lines were beautifully combined with the vertical elevations. Subsequently, the triumphant eclecticism of the late 19th century gave free rein to the most fertile and daring imaginations. For example, the tuffeau and multicoloured brick façade is a copy of the Louis XII wing of the Château Royal in Blois. Combining flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance elements, the façade elegantly blends into the overall architectural landscape. The rational configuration is in keeping with the architectural trends that preceded the First World War. The front elevation of the residence has three storeys. A front flight of steps, rounded and larger at the base, leads to a platform and the double entrance door to the house. Framed by two white pilasters, the entrance is topped by a balcony with ogee-shaped openings. On both the ground and first floors, two small-paned windows frame the central section on either side, with the "chalk-white" window surrounds forming a striking contrast to the red brick colour. Vertical and horizontal band mouldings adorn the facade. The rear facade is rather plain, with four windows framing a door accessed via a stone perron. Further up, there is a large Renaissance-style opening similar to the balcony on the other side. The cellar features four basement windows on the south-west side and two on the north-east side. Two white stone towers proudly frame the facade, ending in two conical roofs topped by two chimneys on either side. The medieval-style, narrow, vertical openings are fitted with stained glass panes. They let soft light filter through, illuminating all the different spaces. On the third level, the slightly projecting roof has four gabled dormers and one larger central dormer window above the entrance door and the balcony. The central section has a slate roof with four pitches, as do the two towers.
The ground floor
Arranged around the entrance hall and the corridor that crosses the building from ...
