An 18th-century house with 41 hectares of grounds, nestled in France's Charente department, between the cities of Bordeaux, AngoulĂŞme and PĂ©rigueux -
An 18th-century house with 41 hectares of grounds, nestled in France's Charente department, between the cities of Bordeaux, AngoulĂŞme and PĂ©rigueux.
The property lies in the south of France's Charente department, near the country's Dordogne department. The beautiful local area is nicknamed the Charente Champagne. Five minutes away, there is a village with shops and amenities. There is also an abbey nearby. The estate dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries. It is nestled in a wooded, undulating landscape. Many quaint villages, old stone houses and remarkable sites of architectural heritage, such as the Château de Villebois-Lavalette and the Château de la Mercerie, are also not far from the property. The city of Angoulême, known for its comic book festival, historical car race and many fine chocolate shops, is only 30 minutes away. The charming city of Périgueux is 1 hour and 10 minutes away. From Angoulême train station, you can get to Paris in just 1 hour and 50 minutes by high-speed rail.
A tarmacked drive, more than 500 metres long, leads to the main house and its outbuildings. The buildings stand on a hillside on an estate that covers 41 hectares of land. Woods edge the north, east and south sides on higher ground. The edifices have rubble stone elevations with windows set in limestone ashlar surrounds. They are crowned with barrel-tiled roofs, most of which are hipped. These buildings are arranged in a U shape that is open on its east side and has a walled garden on its west side. In the valley, two springs provide water for a stream, beside which there is a small lake. A farm building stands in the middle of the woods on the south side.
The main houseThe main house is rectangular in shape. It has a ground floor and a first floor and it is crowned with a hipped roof. It faces the outhouses. The dwelling has a walled garden on its west side. You enter the home via a small flight of front steps.
The ground floor
The ground floor has a spacious entrance hall with a ceiling of oak beams and a floor of old terracotta tiles without pointing. A winding staircase made of elm wood leads upstairs from here. A door with old iron fittings leads out to the garden. On each side of the hallway, large wooden doors painted grey lead to the rooms. On the left, there are two old reception rooms with 19th-century fireplaces. On the right, there is a kitchen fitted with wooden cupboards and a fireplace that is typical of France's Charente department. This kitchen is bathed in natural light from windows that look out at the court and outbuildings. From here, a hallway leads to a scullery, a former pantry and a cellar. Opposite, there are two extra rooms. Each one has a fireplace. These rooms face the garden on the west side.
The upstairs
An extensive landing connects to five bedrooms, a bathroom with a lavatory and a staircase that takes you up to the loft. Two of the bedrooms, on the south side, have a fireplace. On the north side, a corridor takes you past the three other bedrooms and to a bathroom and a lavatory. The floor on this level is covered with broad oak strips with a patina of time.
The outbuildingsThe outbuildings cover around 1,000m². A first building adjoins the main house on the north-east side and covers over 500m². It houses storerooms, former stables and a dwelling to be renovated. The elevations are made of rubble stone with windows and doors set in ashlar surrounds. The building is crowned with barrel-tiled roofing. Nearby, in the courtyard, there is a square well. At the back, there is a barn with a 240m² floor area. It has an old oak roof frame that has been remarkably well preserved. On the south side, there is a collection of buildings that cover around 300m². They are separated from the main ...
