Castle L'Estréchure (30)

Just 9kms from the delightful market town of St Jean du Gard, in the beautiful Gardon valley, lies this stunning chateau, which dates back to the late 12th century. The chateau is set in around 200 acres of the Cevennes National Park; an area of unspoilt natural beauty and outstanding wildlife. The main chateau has been divided into four self-contained apartments, distributed around a central courtyard, each with its own outside area, and a guardian's cottage that has its own front door to the outside and also has access to the central courtyard.
The principal apartment has a spacious reception and dining area that would be ideal for large receptions. However, the apartments could easily be recombined into one, large, family home. There are also two further self-contained holiday cottages adjacent to the chateau, along with various other outbuildings. The property enjoys a truly magical setting with its south-facing pool overlooking a secluded valley.
Saint-Jean-du-Gard is an authentic Cévenol village in a wonderfully preserved natural setting; a paradise for walkers, cyclists and all lovers of the outdoors. This was the last stop on Robert Louis Stevenson's famous “Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes“, which ended in St-Jean in 1878. The village today offers a pleasant mix of shops, cafés, restaurants and also has a post office, banks, a doctor’s surgery and a primary school.
Just 9km from the village, this unique property enjoys a dominant position overlooking an unspoilt valley above the Gardon river. A section of the Gardon actually flows through the extensive grounds of the property, providing idyllic spots for swimming or fishing.
The property consists of the main chateau and several outbuildings, which together offer nearly 600m2 of living space and over 200m2 of cellars, barns and stores. The main chateau offers the following:
The main apartment; a beautifully appointed 3-bedroom residence comprising:
• The 65m2 main lounge/dining room with a huge fireplace and a balcony running the full length of the face, offering spectacular views of the pool terrace and valley.
• A master bedroom with en suite bathroom & WC.
• A farmhouse style fitted kitchen with access to the dining room and central courtyard.
• 2 further double bedrooms.
• A family bathroom with WC.
The guardian’s cottage. Accessed either from the courtyard or via its own private access from the outside, this cottage offers:
On the ground floor:
• A spacious 22m2 fitted kitchen with a 7m2 larder.
• A lovely lounge of 24,5m2 with views out over the grounds.
• A family bathroom with WC.
The 1st floor:
• A very spacious 25m2 master bedroom.
• 2 further good-sized double bedrooms.
A spacious two-storey apartment that encompasses the ancient lookout tower. The apartment is accessed either from the central courtyard via a short flight of stairs, or from the gardens to the rear of the castle.
On the ground floor:
• A spacious, light and airy lounge with open plan kitchen and access to a rear patio.
• A family bathroom with WC.
The 1st floor:
• A very spacious 40m2 bedroom.
• The tower room (a small bedroom in the old lookout tower).
Another 2-bedroom apartment with spectacular views, comprising:
• A large lounge and kitchen area of 32m2, with a Juliette balcony overlooking the valley and mountains.
• A large double bedroom with private bathroom & WC.
• A mezzanine bedroom also with private bathroom & WC.
A final 1-bedroom apartment in the west wing of the castle, offering:
• A 15,5m2 sitting room.
• A 9m2 kitchen.
• A spacious 13m2 double bedroom.
• A bathroom with WC.
Beneath the main living accommodation and all the other accoutrements that one would expect of a castle of this type: a vast vaulted wood store, huge cellars, 2 separate laundry rooms and various workshops.
A short distance from the main Chateau are two independent 2-bedroom guest cottages or gîtes. These are appointed to a high standard and enjoy great views and private outside areas.
The other outbuildings consist of a 50m2 games room with table tennis and table football. A large garden store for machinery and below these is a chicken house.
On the rise heading up from the other side of the meadows is located the sheep-fold and another, as yet unrenovated, cottage. Beyond this are the natural springs that provide the water for the property.
The Grounds
The immediate surrounding of the chateau consists of just under a hectare of terraced lawns, fruit orchards and two lilyponds; the south-facing terrace is home to the large, heated swimming pool. Just below this lies a crazy golf course which most likely dates back to the 1930s. Below this is approximately 3 hectares of meadow and pasture that follow the valley down to the Gardon river. The majority of the remaining land is mostly mature mixed forest.