A chateau from the 16th and 18th centuries, with its outbuildings, surrounded by 20 hectares of pastures and a pond, in the countryside of the Ognon R
A chateau from the 16th and 18th centuries, with its outbuildings, surrounded by 20 hectares of pastures and a pond, in the countryside of the Ognon River valley, not far from Besançon.
In the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, between Besançon and Vesoul, the property is located on the banks of the Ognon River, within a landscape of rivers, meadows and forests. As for the city of Besançon, a regional economic hub 20 minutes away by car, it contains all shops and services, while the high-speed rail station, approximately 15 minutes away, provides service to Paris in 2.5 hours. Last, but not least, the cities of Zurich and Geneva are only three hours away via the A36 motorway.
Accessible via a country lane, an immense wrought-iron gate flanked by two stone columns opens on to the secluded property and its front courtyard around which the buildings - a chateau, a caretaker's cottage and an immense 16th-century tower - are grouped together in a U shape. Next door, former stone farm buildings create a second enclosed courtyard with a separate entrance, while the chateau's main façade, looking southward towards the grounds, is made up of a long symmetrical central building flanked by two turrets. As for the property, it is bordered to the south by the Ognon River and to the west by a 3-hectare pond, whereas, the chateau itself has undergone significant renovations in recent years, both in terms of its structural works as well as its finishing details, which could be continued depending on the next occupant's plans for the premises.
The ChateauBuilt in the 16th century and reorganised in large part in the 18th century, it once was the country home of Marshal de Moncey, a local historical figure nicknamed "Napoleon's first constable". Featuring a classical and symmetrical main façade, topped with a triangular pediment decorated with a bas-relief and accessible via four double doors, two of which are arched, its small-paned, wood-framed windows, with their fanlights, are safeguarded by louvred shutters on the first floor, whereas those on the chateau's central section each provide access to a small balcony with a wrought-iron guardrail. In addition, the two-storey, lime-plastered building is topped with a recently restored roof with two brick chimneys, while its attic level features two bull's-eye windows on its southern side as well as two other oculi on its northern side, the latter of which also boasts a shed dormer window.
The ground floor
From the front courtyard, the chateau is accessible via a wooden door topped with a triangular stone pediment decorated with a bas-relief, which opens on to the dual-aspect entrance hall containing a grand staircase built out of Besançon stone and safeguarded with a wrought-iron guardrail. To the west, the former vaulted kitchens from the 16th century were transformed into a sitting room with a large fireplace, flagstone floors and a central pillar supporting its quadripartite ribbed ceiling vaults, the keystones of which are each decorated with a coat of arms, whereas, in the back, a wooden door provides access to the former pantry and cellars with flagstone floors. In addition, on the eastern side of the entrance hall, the former living room and dining room were converted into one vast room, while, in the turret, a small alcove, which is used as a pantry, communicates with the kitchen.
The upstairs
Lined with busts, the grand staircase provides access to a landing with a cement tile floor, which leads to a suite of three rooms to the west, with oak hardwood floors and moulded wood panelling. One of them is divided in two in order to create two separate bedrooms, while a bathroom with a cement tile floor is located at one end of the wing. To the east, a study communicates with the former library as well as two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, ...
