castle with terrace for sale Montmorillon, France

Ref.4905 : Elegant 18th-C. Chateau in the Brenne region of Berry, featuring guesthouses and stables This elegant property is located three and a half hours from the capital, in the heart of the Brenne, the “Land of a Thousand Ponds.” The Brenne is a natural region renowned for its unspoiled wilderness and exceptional biodiversity, designated as a Regional Nature Park. This region offers a wide range of opportunities for relaxation and exploration. Birdwatchers come from all over the world to observe waterfowl and migratory birds, while hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders enjoy the trails winding through the ponds. Hunting enthusiasts also find ideal terrain here, provided they practice responsible hunting. La Brenne is not only a nature reserve but also a vibrant region where nature and human activity have coexisted in harmony for centuries. It is an area known for livestock farming and fish farming, whose products are integral to the local cuisine. In this regard, the Michelin-starred Maison Dallais (La Promenade restaurant) is just thirty minutes away. In this area of scattered settlements, the property, nestled in its own grounds on the edge of a hamlet, enjoys absolute tranquility just three and a half hours from Paris. Nearby, just a few minutes from the château, lies Le Blanc, a charming little town with all the necessary shops and services. Just a little further on, in the beautiful Creuse Valley, Fontgombault Abbey is home to a vibrant Benedictine community. And less than thirty minutes away, heading toward Poitou, lies the spa town of La Roche-Posay, whose waters treat the most common skin conditions. The world-famous cosmetics of the same name are produced there. Poitiers, a major regional, university, and commercial city, is the area’s main hub. It’s just over an hour away. The orientation of the house has no doubt changed over time, as it is likely that the main entrance was previously through what is now the park. Indeed, the five-bay façade on this side has been given a more prestigious treatment than its counterpart on the courtyard side. Two ornate bossages, imitating columns, frame a magnified central bay. On the ground floor, the jambs of the entrance bay take the form of fluted columns supporting a fine lintel with a crenellated cornice. One storey above, the window lintel is decorated with a similar entablature, whilst two storeys higher, a monumental dormer with a pediment and wings emphasises this ostentatious centrality. The other openings and dormer windows on this façade, with similar but simpler decoration, create a sense of alignment emphasised by a simple string course, whilst marking the boundary between the residential storeys. In contrast, the addition of a projecting section in the early 20th-C. transformed the courtyard façade—with its three bays and simplified decoration—into the main façade. At the base, a flared plinth followed by three wide steps leads the visitor to an entrance, where a flat bossage frames the two levels of windows with arched lintels, separated by a lintel in the form of an inverted entablature. Through this entrance, one enters a beautiful, very light-filled hall, providing access to the various rooms on the ground floor. To the left, a corridor leads to a small bathroom with a toilet. In the centre, it opens onto the dining room via a connecting door, aligned with the exit to the grounds. Through this double-length room, which acts as a hub connecting all the spaces, you reach the large sitting room with a beautiful Empire-style fireplace and a herringbone parquet floor, another smaller sitting room followed by a pantry, and the park. Finally, to the right of the entrance hall, a long corridor passes the staircase to reach the large kitchen with a monumental fireplace, an indoor water well and a service entrance leading to the courtyard or the park. On the first floor, the first half-level comprises two bedrooms and a bathroom. The next half-level is organised around a long, light-coloured wooden corridor, in the 18th-C. style, which leads to three bedrooms and a study on the right, and a bedroom with a shower on the left. The latter is situated in the front section of the house, above the entrance hall. As shown on the plan, the first bedroom on the right has an en-suite bathroom, the second has a separate toilet, and the third has a shower room. Walk-in wardrobes have been fitted within the thickness of the walls. On the second floor, in the attic, the floor previously reserved for staff remains to be converted. The total living area is approximately 400 sqm. In the attic, the former servants’ quarters cover a total area of 134 sqm. The property comprises two main outbuildings: two wings of outbuildings flanking the main house. In the left-hand wing, there are four garages with a large loft space above, as well as a holiday cottage on two levels covering approximately 70 sqm. This cottage features a large living room with a fireplace, a kitchenette and a shower, and two bedrooms, one of which has an en-suite shower. Outside, a private terrace, an outdoor seating area and a barbecue area complete the property. In the right-hand wing is a large and beautiful old stable block with five stalls and three separate brood mares’ stalls. There is also a 140 sqm gîte on two levels, in need of restoration. Beneath this wing is a cellar housing the main house’s boiler room, its water tank and a utility room. The other outbuildings include the old, empty towers, a pole shed, a building known as a ‘bergerie’ (sheepfold) now used as a storeroom, and several small roofed structures. The grounds, covering an area of 5.3 acres, surround the property on three sides. At the rear of each wing, a meadow provides the necessary open space, whilst the wooded park, which features some fine trees and charming, shady groves, extends its green space to the west of the property. Cabinet LE NAIL – Berry - Limousin - Mr Christian MAUVE : +33(0)2.43.98.20.20 Christian MAUVE, Individual company, registered in the Special Register of Commercial Agents, under the number 437 693 534. We invite you to visit our website Cabinet Le Nail to browse our latest listings or learn more about this property.