A 17th-century manor, with outbuildings and 2.5-hectare grounds, perched up on a hill on the outskirts of Amboise - ref 449376
A 17th-century manor, with outbuildings and 2.5-hectare grounds, perched up on a hill on the outskirts of Amboise.
In the Indre-et-Loire department, within the greater Centre-Val de Loire region, Amboise enjoys a particularly advantageous position on the banks of the large royal river, only two hours and 20 minutes from Paris, while the A10 and A85 motorways are easily accessible and the train station provides rail service to the capital about twenty times a day.
As for the property, it is set back from the city, whose famous chateau overlooks its narrow historic streets, lined with shops, cafés and a cinema, whereas, in this area, recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site and incorporated within the Loire-Anjou-Touraine regional natural park, the landscape features some of the country's most beautiful monuments.
The manor and its grounds, buttressed by strong retaining walls and overlooking the Loire Valley, are accessible by vehicle via an immense gate, which opens on to a front courtyard. Built in the 17th century and modified in the 19th, the L-shaped manor, located in the northwest corner, features a slightly offset pavilion on each end, as well as three storeys topped with a floor under the eaves, which is, in turn, bathed in light thanks to its gabled dormers.
With plaster-coated exteriors bookended with stone quoins, the manor is cadenced by wide windows safeguarded by louvred shutters as well as several bull's-eye windows, whereas, on the garden side, solid shutters or grills provide protection for the dwelling's windows. Featuring a fibre-cement roof over the central wing and slate versions over the lateral pavilions, directly opposite the manor, a group of outbuildings abut the rocky hillside, after which the estate was named, while a formal garden acts as a link between the patio and an ornamental pavilion.
As for the grounds, with a wooded area overlooking a pasture, they exude a bucolic and peaceful ambiance.
Le manoir
The garden-level floor
From the courtyard, the front door opens on to an entryway with a wide staircase and slate cabochon stone floor tiles, while a library, located on one side, features triple exposure, a Louis XV-style stone fireplace and visible ceiling beams painted white.
On the other side of the entryway, a corner living room is illuminated thanks to four windows, whereas double doors open on to a dual-aspect dining room with a 17th-century stone fireplace, terracotta floor tiles and visible ceiling beams. Following on from here is a doorway, accessible from the outside, which gives on to a service staircase, while, lastly, a fitted kitchen is located on one end of the manor.
The first floor
The wide three-flight winding staircase, made out of solid wood, was a result of the modifications made to the dwelling by the famous architect Auguste Perret in the 1920s. Upstairs, a landing provides access to five bedrooms, each with a fireplace and parquet flooring, while three bathrooms and a lavatory are also located on this level. With double-glazed windows facing the street, a straight modern staircase ascends to the next floor.
The second floor
Under the eaves, this level contains three bedrooms, a dormitory, two bathrooms and a lavatory, while provisions have been made for two more bathrooms and this floor's dormer windows provide breath-taking views of the valley.
The intermediate level
With cross-windows throughout, former 17th-century kitchens have been transformed into a studio flat with original terracotta floor tiles, painted wooden ceiling beams and an impressively large brick and stone fireplace on one side of the main room.
With a bathroom and a kitchen, the flat is completely self-contained, while at the top of a couple of stairs, a door provides direct outdoor access and gives on to a small gravel patio facing southwest, ...
