A former 12th-century chateau and its garden, nestled within the natural region of Beauce, 1.5 hours from Paris - ref 809991
A former 12th-century chateau and its garden, nestled within the natural region of Beauce, 1.5 hours from Paris.
Located in Ile-de-France, on the outskirts of the fertile Beauce region, the dwelling stands in the middle of a multi-century village, the existence of which dates back to 1120, while, all around, immense grain-growing plains blanket the land all the way to the horizon and convey the tranquillity of the surrounding countryside.
Thanks to its prime address, this property combines the charm of a bucolic setting, imbued with history, with the convenience of facilitated access to the nearby major transit routes - the N154 A road, the A10 motorway and the Orléans-Paris railway line - which connect the village to the region's more dynamic hubs and, specifically, Chartres.
In a village where time seems as if to stand still, the dwelling, whose composite architecture recounts the layers of a rich and multi-century history, features quietly elegant plaster-coated exteriors with a subtle patina, in all likelihood inherited from the many successive readjustments that succeeded in combining the sturdiness of the ancient building - vestiges of a seigniorial chateau from the 12th century - with the comforts of later periods. In addition, its windows, some of which are placed in a rather random manner, bear witness to a time when each stone was reused and each window was reconfigured in order to capture the best light.
On one side, impressive and slender, a hexagonal watchtower, festooned in ivy and topped with a tall slate spire, assumes the role of a sentinel, while its immediate proximity with an even older bell tower, with a stocky and hefty silhouette, conveys a history where the temporal and the spiritual were intimately connected.
Directly opposite, a round pointed rubble stone tower highlights its medieval origins, and was once part of an enclosure wall or housed a spiral staircase, whereas at the base of the building, a local stone patio extends towards the garden.
The Dwelling
The ground floor
The dwelling is accessible via an ancient wooden door, which opens on to an entrance hall with terracotta floor tiles that provides access to the dwelling's utilitarian spaces. An initial room is used as a workshop and precedes a laundry room - where the fuel-oil furnace is located - as well as a garage featuring stone and visible wooden ceiling beams, whereas this floor also communicates with the underground cellars. Accessible via a stone staircase and ten metres underground, three medieval cavities are still partially illuminated thanks to a natural skylight, while the vestiges of the chateau's dungeons are also still visible.
The first floor
At the top of the ancient stone staircase are the dwelling's three main living areas. First, a kitchen, with a bucolic feel and restored terracotta floor tiles, features immense dark wooden ceiling beams, evidence of the building's original structure. Following on from here is a living room with large glass double doors, framed by stone, which provide ample sunlight as well as direct access to the outdoor patio, while, further on, a wardrobe abuts a bathroom. Lastly, towards the back and in the hexagonal tower, a cosy bedroom, where shadows and light create an interplay of volumes, provides a hushed atmosphere under its visible ceiling beams.
The second floor
Featuring the same configuration as the lower level, this floor contains an immense living room with mitred Herringbone hardwood floors, accessible via a small corridor. Standing out thanks to its visible ceiling beams, massive fireplace as well as its wide picture windows providing plenty of light, this room also communicates with a shower room with a more modern look, as well as a second bedroom whose hefty dark wooden ceiling beams are set against a red brick background, providing this ...
