A 17th-century manor house, with farming and equestrian outbuildings, in 2 hectares of grounds, in the Forez Valley, near to the River Loire - ref 553
A 17th-century manor house, with farming and equestrian outbuildings, in 2 hectares of grounds, in the Forez Valley, near to the River Loire.
This property is located in a rural village centred around farming and horse riding, with all essential everyday amenities, in the Loire Valley plain, near to Feurs and a junction on the A72 motorway. The west-facing buildings are situated in the centre of the village but are tucked away from prying eyes by large, walled, tree filled grounds encircled by the surrounding countryside. Saint-Etienne is 35 minutes away by road, whilst Lyon can be reached in 1 hour 10 minutes via the A89 motorway.
The estate was built in the 17th century and includes a three-storey residence with a surface of around 540 m² in the centre of ornamental grounds filled with trees, including a remarkable oak dating from approximately 1640. There is also an orangery, set perpendicularly, that houses smaller vegetation more vulnerable to frost. The edifices are bordered by a branch of the Forez Canal, in which the water flows through the property, separating the built-up part from the surrounding farming meadows.
After the manor house and through a first arch, there is a courtyard surrounded by the estate's outbuildings (a workshop, estate keeper's house, stable worker's garage, agricultural storage buildings with lofts and the owner's carriage stables). These outbuildings have not been used for many years but provide spacious garage and storage space.
A second arch then leads to the farm itself as well as its livestock buildings and equipment storage facilities: agricultural storage buildings, barns, a workshop, box stalls, a cowshed and various storage space. It has belonged to the current owners since 1946. Following an agricultural past, it was then destined for breeding racehorses, as is traditional in a region where there are many racehorse stables.
The residence dating from 1646It is made up of a rectangular central section flanked by two square towers to each side and is typical of the residences in the Forez sector lining the banks of the River Loire, with its elongated shape, symmetrical appearance and many openings. Its elevations are made of rendered stone beneath a roof of interlocking tiles made locally.
The ground floor
In the centre of the facade, a double-leaf door opens into the entrance hall and a wooden, ceremonial staircase climbs to the upper floors. On either side, a corridor leads to the living rooms. Most of the reception rooms are dual aspect and open onto the outside from the east and west facades. This level has preserved its original features, such as terracotta tiles, parquet flooring, wood panelling, oakwood ceilings, marble fireplaces and small-paned windows with curved, blown glass.
The right-hand side includes a living room, a kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom with a lavatory, while the left-hand side is made up of a lounge, a dining room, a kitchen, a shower room, a lavatory and a conservatory.
The whole level can be reorganised and restored to its original layout.
The first floor
With a similar layout to the ground floor, this level includes a long corridor leading to six bedrooms, with three on one side of the staircase and three on the other. All of them face west, overlooking the grounds and a several hundred-year-old oak tree. There is wood stripped flooring throughout, some bedrooms have a fireplace and all boast considerably high French-style beamed ceilings. The shower rooms, bathrooms and lavatories can be found in the two square towers at each end of the building, via services staircases linking its different levels.
The second floor
These fully usable attic spaces with low ceilings can be used for storage, workspaces or creative hobbies. The structural reinforcement of the building via the use of tie beams and ...
