castles for sale Avallon, France

Ref.4807 : 15th-C. chateau with moats and a dovecote set in a 7,7 acres park in Burgundy The château is situated on the outskirts of a small, vibrant town in Burgundy, within the Nièvre department, home to 3,600 inhabitants and traversed by three waterways, including the Nivernais Canal and the Yonne River. An ancient medieval town and former capital of timber rafting, it has been described as the “Venice of the Nièvre” by the writer Romain Rolland. It lies at the heart of the Vaux d’Yonne and on the threshold of the Morvan. Vézelay is 20 km away, and Auxerre is 44 km distant. A railway station connects the town to Paris in just under three hours, while the capital can be reached by car in approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. The town has preserved a remarkable medieval heritage, notably a collegiate church regarded as a jewel of Gothic art, alongside several half-timbered houses dating from the 15th and 16th C.. All essential shops are available, including grocery stores and organic producers, together with a local producers’ market. The town has successfully maintained its full range of public services and continues to foster a vibrant cultural life, with a media library, a museum, and a cinema. From the street, a tree-lined avenue leads to the chateau entrance. It is surrounded by magnificent moats that are still filled with water, fed by the River Sauzay. They are between 8 and 20 metres wide and are largely stone-built. A stone bridge dating from the 15th C., the only access to the château, spans the moat. The entrance, opposite the bridge, is through a carriage gate in the middle of a square tower. The terrace, on which the château stands surrounded by its moat, covers nearly 3,500 sqm and offers perfect tranquillity and privacy. To the right of the square tower stands the chateau and to the left a residential wing. These two buildings are connected at the first floor level. Once through the porch, we discover the large terrace surrounded by water and a garden planted with beautiful trees. A circular corner tower, featuring a secondary 15th-C. stone spiral staircase, provides access to the first floor of both the chateau and the dwelling. These are identical in appearance and height; the façades are lime-plastered, the corner buttresses are stone, and the roofs are covered with perfectly maintained old flat tiles. All the windows are fitted with solid wooden shutters. French windows provide direct access to the garden from all the ground floor rooms. The château faces north-west and south-east. The interior of the château has largely retained its original layout and has undergone few alterations, except for a discreet extension on the west side during the 19th–C., which is virtually imperceptible. On the ground floor, from the small entrance hall, one is immediately confronted by a wide 15th-C. staircase crafted from Burgundy stone, adorned with an ornate wrought-iron balustrade. To the right, a passage leads to a spacious kitchen/dining room of 31 sqm, featuring two windows and a French door opening onto a terrace at the edge of the moat. The floors are laid with traditional terracotta tiles, the ceilings are of exposed beams, and there is an original stone fireplace. To the left of the hall, two elegant, through reception rooms of 33 and 39 sqm each enjoy marble fireplaces and direct access to the garden. One of these rooms boasts a herringbone parquet floor. The ceiling height throughout is three metres. Behind the staircase are a pantry, a laundry/heating room, and a WC. On the first floor, there is a 25 sqm study, five bedrooms ranging from 10 to 26 sqm, two bathrooms with WC, and a dressing room that could easily be converted into a bathroom. A large billiard room of 42 sqm features two French doors, an exposed-beam ceiling, and a grey Saint-Anne marble fireplace. Above this level lies a spacious attic of nearly 120 sqm, with five dormer windows and impressive timbering, offering numerous possibilities for additional accommodation—bedrooms, bathrooms, or a games room. Finally, a stone spiral staircase provides access to the second floor of the square tower, opening into a charming 13 sqm through-room, reminiscent of a lookout, with views either toward the entrance or the park. The château as a whole is meticulously maintained and exudes considerable charm. The total surface area, including the attic, amounts to 430 sqm. Outbuildings : THE DWELLING Located on the opposite side of the square tower, forming an L-shaped wing of the château, this annex occupies approximately 90 sqm over two levels, with an attic. A charming entrance, paved with antique terracotta tiles, leads to the left into a spacious reception room of around 40 sqm, featuring a large French door opening onto the garden. The floors are of terracotta, the ceiling displays exposed beams, and there is a stone fireplace. Opposite, a kitchen provides access to a terrace along the edge of the moat, followed by a pantry and a bathroom. Upstairs, accessed by a wooden staircase, there is a large bedroom or games room of approximately 45 sqm, with a beautifully crafted French-style ceiling, and it is connected to the square tower. Additionally, there is another attractive bedroom with wooden floors and a bathroom. This annex, totaling about 180 sqm, is full of charm. It could serve as a guesthouse or children’s residence, or alternatively be adapted for commercial use such as a bed-and-breakfast or holiday rental. THE DOVECOTE Situated slightly apart from the château, yet still within the terrace/garden enclosed by the moat, the dovecote is an impressive, square-plan building spanning three levels. Its corners are reinforced with stone, and it features a well-maintained four-sloped roof covered with traditional flat tiles. At present, the ground floor serves as a workshop. Land : Covering a total area of 7.7 acres, the property comprises a garden terrace surrounded by a moat, meadows beyond the moat, and, on the other side of the Sauzay stream, a woodland area of approximately 15,000 sqm. The immediate neighbours are the old farmhouse to the east and the old mill to the west. The setting is idyllic, with unobstructed views of the countryside and wooded hillsides. The property is perfectly peaceful, free from any nuisance and very well maintained. The garden terrace features some beautiful trees. There is also a well and a wooden canopy. Cabinet LE NAIL - Nièvre - Mr Bernard ROUYER : +33 (0)2.43.98.20.20 Bernard ROUYER, Individual company, registered in the Special Register of Commercial Agents, under the number 382 833 341. We invite you to visit our website Cabinet Le Nail to browse our latest listings or learn more about this property.