A horse stud farm with 32 hectares of woods and pasture and a remarkable half-timbered stable built in 1920 in the middle, nestled near the town of Ch
A horse stud farm with 32 hectares of woods and pasture and a remarkable half-timbered stable built in 1920 in the middle, nestled near the town of Chantilly in northern France.
The property lies in the heart of France's Oise department in a natural backd-rop of woods, valleys and meadows - a perfect environment for horse-riding. The location combines countryside calm with closeness to prestigious equestrian centres. It is 45 minutes from Chantilly, 1 hour from Maisons-Laffitte, and 2 hours and 30 minutes from Deauville. Furthermore, you can easily reach major European cities from here. Paris is 1 hour and 15 minutes away, Brussels 3 hours and 30 minutes away, and London 4 hours and 30 minutes from the property. The nearest train station is just four kilometres away. From there, you can get to central Paris in only one hour by rail. Beauvais airport is 20 minutes away too. And Paris Charles de Gaulle airport is 50 minutes away. You can find shops, schools and amenities in the town of Beauvais and in surrounding towns.
The estate covers a little over 32 hectares of unbroken land that combines premium pasture - considered essential for thoroughbreds - and woods with bridlepaths. A wide driveway lined with white fencing leads to the building and underlines its symmetry. Built in 1920 on the former grounds of a neighbouring chateau, the edifice owes its existence to an Argentinian billionaire and horse enthusiast who ordered construction of the property to create his own horse stud farm here. The architecture is neo-Norman in style with half-timbering, tiled roofing, hipped wall dormers and a large shelter that leads out to the pastures. The stud farm was originally designed for breeding galloping racehorses. Today, it is perfectly suited to any equestrian activity, whether for leisure or competitions. The site layout is highly logical. It brings together a stable and work spaces around the house in a coherent, practical whole. Several recent facilities for daily training add to the estate.
The main buildingThe main building brings together most of the looseboxes, as well as the owner's home and the employees' dwellings too. The remarkable edifice is around 65 metres long. Straight from your first glance, you get the impression of a traditional stud farm house. Its roof of tiles with two main slopes strikes you first. Next, you notice the characterful elevations. Four hipped dormers punctuate the imposing roof. Beneath the centre of a huge neo-Norman pediment you find the timeless charm of horse stud farms. Once you have gone through the open-ended covered passageway that runs through the edifice, your first impressions are underlined with the natural beauty of a landscape of meadows and forests that extends on the other side.
The ground floor
The elevations are punctuated with 24 looseboxes: 12 on each side. In the middle, the covered passageway links the court to the pasture. In the covered passageway, two doors face each other. One leads to a self-contained dwelling with a 28m² floor area. This dwelling has a fitted kitchen, a bathroom and a mezzanine. The other door leads to a staircase that takes you to the main apartment. An intern's bedroom with a 16m² floor area lies next to it, as do several annexe rooms, including a utility room.
The first floor
Beyond the door to the main home, a staircase of terracotta tiles and timber leads to a vast dwelling with a 260m² floor area. This home takes up the entire length of the edifice. At each end of the dwelling there is a convertible loft space with a 150m² floor area. The staircase leads up to a large reception room with a cathedral ceiling. A floor of locally made terracotta tiles extends throughout it. The room features a monumental fireplace of brick and metal. An open spiral staircase climbs up around this fireplace. With the ...
