A large townhouse to be renovated, from the 16th and 17th centuries, with outhouses divided into apartments, nestled in the town of Falaise in Normand
A large townhouse to be renovated, from the 16th and 17th centuries, with outhouses divided into apartments, nestled in the town of Falaise in Normandy's Calvados department.
The town of Falaise lies in the heart of Normandy, in the south of France's Calvados department. Falaise is rich in built heritage linked to its centuries-old past. The town was Christianised at the time of the Merovingian dynasty. It gets its name from its fortified position upon a rocky hill, where the famous castle of William the Conqueror still towers. With this fortification as a token of its history, Falaise was attacked on many occasions during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century and, later and especially, during the French Wars of Religion in the late 16th century. In 1590, King Henry IV of France definitively made the place part of the Kingdom of France. Today, the town is part of the Pays de Falaise federation of municipalities. Falaise was heavily damaged by the Second World War Allied bombings, yet it was revived both economically and touristically on a large scale thanks to bold local policies. The town is officially recognised for its attractive greenery and high quality of life. Today, it is one of the towns of France's Calvados department where you can enjoy a particularly pleasant lifestyle. The surrounding countryside neighbours a beautiful area of Normandy that is nicknamed "Norman Switzerland" for its spectacular landscape. Falaise's backd-rop is made up of hedge-lined meadows and woods. The nearby towns of Flers and Argentan offer train stations, as does the local city of Caen. From these stations, you can reach Paris by rail in a little over two hours. By car, the French capital is less than three hours away via the A13 motorway.
The property stands on a calm street. The old edifice was doubtless an important home at the time of the Catholic League of France - a major participant in the French Wars of Religion. As early as in the 14th century, this part of the town was home to the burghers of Guibray - a district of Falaise. Their land initially belonged to the abbots of the local Abbey of Saint John. Fairs were held here and there were many inns in this district too. The house was probably one of those inns. It is set back from a small square that still bears the name of one of the members of the Catholic League of France in Falaise, from the time of the French Wars of Religion. Nicknamed the HĂ´tel du Grand Coq, the edifice was later the home of a wealthy parliamentarian. It lies near Notre-Dame de Guibray church and is tucked away on a well-preserved historical street, a short stroll from specialist food shops and amenities. On the street side, the noble edifice has an appearance that is typical of the 16th and 17th centuries. The structure is more wide than tall and is made of Caen stone. On the court side, the building is made up of three dwellings that form a square courtyard, half of which was later linked to the initial dwelling. The edifice's rear elevation bears witness to the redesigns that have taken place over the course of the centuries: there are corbels, roof slopes and the remains of a tower that was reduced in height and which dates back to at least the 16th century. On the left, a stone elevation is coated with rendering in the modern part. Beyond it, there is a small outhouse with a slate roof and two small-paned windows. Lastly, with its back to the street and leading out through the rear elevation of the main dwelling, there is a former forge that has been converted into a dwelling. It has seven windows. From the court, steps lead to the back of the plot. The property's walls enclose the whole plot. In the central court, low walls demarcate different small gardens. To the right of main section, on the court side, there is a timber gallery that connects to the different apartments on the first floor.
