A former coaching inn on the banks of the River Essonne, on a plot of over 1 hectare, 40 km from Paris - ref 405101
A former coaching inn on the banks of the River Essonne, on a plot of over 1 hectare, 40 km from Paris.
In the south of the Île-de-France region, between Étampes and Milly-la-Forêt, the farmhouse is set in the Gâtinais Regional Nature Park, in the middle valley of the River Essonne, an unspoilt area classified as a sensitive natural area. The surroundings alternate between a varied landscape of plains and fields, wetlands and woodland. The village, with a population of just under 1 000, has several primary schools and a secondary school, while La Ferté-Alais, which is just a few minutes away, has shops and a market. From two stations on the RER D line nearby, it is a 1.5-hour journey to Paris. The house is located slightly away from the village, on the banks of ponds along the river, which are ideal for fishing and walking, horse-riding or cycling.
A former coaching inn built in 1890, this farmhouse spans almost 222 m² and has eight rooms. Facing due south, it is set in an enclosed garden of over 1 hectare, part of which is wooded, and whose trees stretch their roots into the water table fed by the Essonne. The entrance is on the landscaped garden side. Bordered by hedges, a lime tree, rose bushes and lilacs, it frames a wide, fine gravel terrace and a well. Built partly on rock, the house has a terracotta tiled roof and rubble stone façades with exposed stone, punctuated by small-paned windows with white wooden frames. The two-storey building, one storey of which is under the sloped roof, has dormer windows and skylights. Several French windows, including some on the upper floor, provide direct access to the terraces and garden.
The houseIt has all the hallmarks of a country house: terracotta tiled floors, stone walls and exposed beams, as well as an imposing fireplace. In some rooms, such as the kitchen and bathroom, the rock is on show, reminders of the building's original foundations. It is symbolic of the area, which is part of the Fontainebleau and Gâtinais Biosphere Reserve.
The ground floor
The house is accessed either via the kitchen, preceded by a few stone steps, or via a French window leading to a hallway with a toilet, boiler room and storeroom. Built around a vast cathedral-style lounge dominated by an imposing stone fireplace, the ground floor lends itself easily to single-storey living. The stone walls and dark oak beams create a rustic atmosphere. On either side there are three small bedrooms, two of which are adjoining, and which could be joined together to form a single room, and a third, which is currently used as a study. There is also a laundry room, kitchen, bathroom, toilet and various storage areas. The kitchen extends this warm ambience with its terracotta tiled floor, its fireplace with a wood-burning oven and its credenza with old blue and white cement tiles.
The upstairs
A wooden staircase leads up to a passageway that overlooks the living room and leads to a small terrace at the back of the house, as well as to a mezzanine that has been converted into a study. There are two sleeping areas on either side, one of which is accessed by a few steps hidden behind the fireplace. A landing leads to a bathroom and an anteroom that could be used as a dressing room, before leading to a master bedroom. Covering around 20 m2 under the sloping roof, its rubble stone dividing walls are on show. On the other side of the mezzanine there is a bedroom with parquet flooring, lit by skylights and dormer windows, and an external stone staircase which provides direct access to the terrace and garden. The garden shelterAround 60 m2, the outbuilding adjoining the house has a shelter that can accommodate a car. Above, an unfinished sloping floor could be used for additional storage space. ...
