A renovated manor house and outbuildings, set in 6 hectares of parkland with a swimming pool in the South-West of France, in the heart of the Gers dep
A renovated manor house and outbuildings, set in 6 hectares of parkland with a swimming pool in the South-West of France, in the heart of the Gers department.
In the Occitanie region, between Bordeaux and Toulouse, the Gers department rolls out its landscapes like a little French Tuscany and offers an incomparable quality of life. The property is located on the route of Santiago de Compostela, 20 minutes from the Auch prefecture, which has a population of 23 000, and within easy reach of villages with schools, services and local shops. There is an 18-hole golf course 15 minutes away. The town of Marciac, which is 20 minutes away, is famous for its world-renowned international jazz festival, which adds to the area's tourist appeal. Toulouse-Blagnac airport is 100 km away.
In the Astarac region, a sign bearing the estate's name marks the entrance to the property from a departmental road that winds through hills and countryside. The outlines of the tall cedars of Lebanon stand out, hinting at the presence of a discreet, beautiful residence, sheltered from view by natural hedges, set back from the road. Two tall ashlar pillars frame a delicate 19th century wrought iron gateway. From here, a long bridleway shaded by zelkovas and framed by vast meadows leads to the group of buildings, hidden from each other by dense but skilfully managed vegetation. A barn clad in half-timbering on three sides is revealed below the path, giving way a little further on to a woodshed made of stone and half-timbering. The paved driveway runs alongside the main building, which stands in the centre of a clearing lined with large trees, whose crowns stretch up into the sky. The drive culminates at a huge carport set back from and opposite the house, providing a very welcoming view of the house. The 6 hectares or so of land lies at the intersection of two small roads to the south and west, and a river that runs along the third side of the land, defining the property's boundaries. The main building wing is set back at right-angles and this façade is shady. It overlooks the land to the west, protecting the building from any visual or noise disturbance.
The manor houseSituated in the centre of the buildings, it is two storeys high with attic space and a four-sloped roof covered in canal tiles, underlined by a triple row of genoises and with a dormer window to the north. It conforms to the classic architecture of this class of Gascon houses, with a limewashed façade featuring numerous semi-circular arched windows with ashlar lintels, arranged with five symmetrical windows and a tall double door topped by a glazed fanlight in the centre. Heavy shutters cover the windows, while climbing plants adorn the walls. The surrounding area has been landscaped with a variety of shrubs and flowerbeds that stand out around the impeccable lawn.
The garden-level floor
As you pass through the heavy original door, you are drawn to the view of the grounds opposite, through the old panes of the French window of a delicately tapestried study that follows on from the entrance hall. From this hall, the layout of the living rooms is traditional: a study to the left, a wooden spiral staircase with wood smoothed by time in the centre, and a double adjoining lounge to the right. The comfortable kitchen in the north wing received special attention during the restoration work, particularly the floor insulation, which is covered in Burgundy tiles. Herringbone oak parquet flooring, high moulded ceilings, fireplaces with sculpted marble mantels and gilded wood valances are just some of the refined elements on this floor.
The first floor
Naturally lit by a skylight, the staircase opens onto a wide landing with a floor covered in wide, old parquet strips painted in a light colour. On the south side, there are two bedrooms on either side of a ...
