castles for sale International (page 40)

In Burgundy, near Beaune and its vineyards, a 19th century chateau with 17th and 18th century outbuildings and a 4 ha wooded park. You have to leave the main road to discover the little village which stretches languidly along a street lined with discreet properties. Captivated by the delightful scenery, visitors often pass the chateau without noticing it, as the setting is very understated. Its surrounding wall is enhanced by a high gate covered with holly, laurel and lilac. A modest central gate opens onto a gravel courtyard with two unevenly shaped lawns in the centre, separated by paving stones. The castle reveals only part of its facade, its discreet double-leaf entrance door is sheltered under a small canopy. The eye is inevitably drawn to the large 18th century farmhouse covered with an abundance of small flat tiles. The building, which bears witness to the winegrowing vocation of the site, comprises three ground floor cellars that have contributed to the reputation of a family of Burgundian merchants for two centuries. The 19th century chateau, next to the cellars, was probably built on the foundations of the 16th century castle which had been completely dismantled. Designed as a prestigious and pleasurable residence, the reception rooms face the park, exposed to the light of the setting sun with originally a view of the distant hillsides. A wide passageway, clear of the foliage on the left, provides a link between the courtyard and the park, the 17th century lodge and the barn. From the village, a narrow road running alongside the property allows direct access to the lodge via a small gate. Turning around, the chateau reveals its clear and symmetrical facade with an elegant canopy. The landscaped park, which could be inspired by Joseph Addison, majestically unfolds its greenery and tall trees, letting the springs, sometimes channelled by narrow canals, freely overflow onto the lawn. It is not uncommon to see herons, grey cranes and wild ducks frolicking on these natural mirrors of water. Although it is adjacent to large buildings that look like old outbuildings, the property is well hidden from view, protected by dry stone walls, streams, tall trees and coppice without being completely enclosed.

An authentic masseria farmhouse and its 2 hectares land on the outskirts of Nardò and the Regional Nature Park of Porto-Selvaggio. The Apulia region’s olive groves extend, beyond the white walls of the beautiful Nardò for as the eye can see, to the beaches along the Gulf of Taranto. This land once belonged to powerful and noble masseria farmhouses, just like this large property on the edge of the Regional Nature Park of Porto-Selvaggio. In addition to an 82-ha estate, this group of buildings forms a hamlet all on its own. The size of the property from the 1,875 m² main building is striking and its potential obvious. It is an ideal haven for fully appreciating the tranquillity of the Salento Peninsula, just a stone’s throw from the turquoise waters of Sant'Isidoro.

A 15th century, Seigneurial home in almost 8 5 ha, given over to leisure and horses, between the Lot Valley and the Guyenne hills. Surrounded by unspoilt countryside, this residential property is composed of several buildings, converted for accommodation and leisure purposes. It is set in grounds, spanning more than 8 continuous hectares, including woods, meadows and even a pond, much appreciated by passing ducks. The origins of this old Seigneury, belonging to a local count, date back to the 15th century. Around 1650, two wings were adjoined to the main rectangular building, creating a U-shape around a main courtyard. Nowadays, a low stone wall, vestige of the east wing, still supports the boxwood parterre which shields the swimming pool and its swimmers from onlookers in the courtyard. Adjoining, a dovecote tower with a stone stairway - certainly the old, monumental stairway - going up to the first floor, no doubt once home to the wing’s Great Room. It is followed by a farm outbuilding which, built at the latest in the early 19th century, houses a workshop and a guest house, comprising two dwellings. The count’s heirs lived modestly in these premises until 1996, without carrying out a great deal of maintenance works. The property was almost completely restored, with some sections being entirely reconstructed, by the current owners. The access road, ending in a dead end, separates the truffle woods and the horse enclosures. Further on is a tennis court set, on a slightly lower level, between shrubberies and vegetation; then a strip of land laid to lawn marks a last breath of air before starting down the gentle slope towards the entrance at the foot of the buildings.

In Saintonge, a late 19th century chateau with outbuildings and park covering 30 ha, crossed by a tree-lined river. A few houses past the village church square, the large gate opens up to the setting sun, to the west of the estate. While the southern facade of the chateau can be made out in the distance, a house and its outbuildings, known as 'the farm', are immediately to the right. Follow a vast barn, formerly a stable, and some workshops and garages. The driveway to the chateau is bordered with large trees. To the left of the main building, a small dwelling is set back from the master residence. In front of the latter, a basin with a fountain stretches along an alley for about 200 m, which leads to the main entrance gate to the south. To the east of the chateau, a very old, circular moat separates the park with its large trees, some of which bear fruit, from the estate's meadows. A bridge crosses the eastern pastures up to the river that meanders through the estate from north to south.

In southern Burgundy, a Tuscan-inspired recreational residence in grounds of 3 hectares. The building was designed during the reign of Napoleon I, in 1805. The rediscovery of the remains of Pompeï and military campaigns in Italy in the late 18th century no doubt influenced its Tuscan look. The house boasts several typically Italian features: a limestone façade in nonchalant ochre tones, greying wooden slatted shutters, arched dormer windows, a low-hanging roof of canal tiles and a porch supported by two columns. To the west, the outbuildings opposite include a house to be renovated. There are three separate entrances to the beautiful shaded grounds, which hide discreetly behind dry stone walls.

A chateau with an old farm complex nestled in a refined country estate covering six hectares, an hour and a half from Paris. The fief was established in 1589 by the Harlay de Champvallon family, who won renown in the court of King Louis XIV of France. The chateau was renovated to a considerable extent later, in the eighteenth century, when it belonged to the Saint-Simon family. The estate covers around six hectares. It is tucked away in woods. A small river edges it. A little country road and a lane lined with lime trees leads up to the property’s gates. Once you have gone through the wrought-iron gates and crossed the balustrade bridge that straddles the moat, you reach a grassy courtyard. From this open space, you can admire the rectangular chateau flanked with two pavilions that are capped with mansard roofs. On the right, a complex of service outhouses, crowned with a roof lantern and clock, completes this collection of fine buildings. This built heritage is surrounded by a dry moat, gardens and woods of age-old trees. From the courtyard, a path lined with brick columns and hedges trimmed in perfectly straight lines leads to the outbuildings and, further on, to a secondary entrance gate.

An authentic 17th-century hilltop chateau standing majestically in the middle of its grounds, waiting to be rescued, near Périgueux in France’s Dordogne area. The chateau was built at the top of a hill where two valleys meet. It enjoys a commanding position, looking out over the pastures around it. An asphalted country lane leads up to it and carries on as a walking trail through the woods. An asymmetrical four-sided wall encloses the chateau and follows the natural slope on which it lies, bringing together a mix of tile and roof styles. The chateau is made up of two main sections that join each other at a right angle. Machicolations can still be seen on them. Each of these sections is flanked with a square tower instead of a gable end and crowned with roof slopes of flat tiles. Facing the main dwelling is a pedestrian door next to a carriage arch door that stands beneath a keystone marked with the year 1742. This pair of entrances is flanked with a barn, a pig shed and an open-sided shelter. A wall, a storeroom, two bakehouses and a former kitchen complete the complex.

A 19th century chateau and its outbuildings in 4 ha of parklands, 40 km to the south of Toulouse. The “Domaine d’Ampouillac”, composed of land and houses, has been known by this name since the 10th century. Initially annexed to the Cuxa Monastery, in 1209 the estate and the priory became part of the Boulbonne Abbey, created in 1129 near to Mazères. The monks of this Cistercian Abbey farmed Ampouillac’s land and that of some adjoining estates, such as Baissac, Artenac and several others. The remoteness of Mazères meant that the monks had to construct buildings for their accommodation on the land they were farming. Said buildings, known as Cistercian barns, were to remain the property of Boulbonne Abbey until the time of the French Revolution when, as a result of the revolutionary riots, Ampouillac was partially destroyed. All that remained was the basement of the “barn” and the current ground floor as is proved by the architecture and the thickness of the walls. In 1791, Ampouillac, was declared National Property and sold. The buyer reconstructed it from the ruins as is explained on the plaque on the stairway. It was also at this time that the first-floor lounge was created and decorated. Ampouillac was to remain in the hands of the same family until 1879 when it was sold to an industrialist from Toulouse. The building currently spans three levels over cellars, the latter being the old, 11th century, Cistercian barns.

A 13th-century Gascon chateau, redesigned in the 16th century, in 7 5 hectares of grounds with an orangery and a dovecote, nestled in France's Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. This chateau stands like a sentry by its quaint village in a commanding, defensive position from where it looks out over the surrounding slopes. The chateau has defended the valley for more than 700 years. The four-storey dwelling and its two adjoining round towers are the remnants of the original Gascon castle. In the 15th century, mullioned windows were added to let more natural light inside. And an Italian Renaissance stairway tower was added too. The chateau was rescued by a man who was enthusiastic about built heritage. He restored it and showcased the Italian style that characterised the Aquitaine region’s most beautiful houses – a style that we also see in the gardens and the chateau’s main lounge.

A 16th century castle, all of its furniture, its outbuildings on terraced grounds on an 18-hectare wooded hillside dominating the Isle Valley on the outskirts of Périgueux. This castle is in an area where wooded hills alternate with green valleys. Perched on a flat hilltop, it dominates a plain which stretches out in front of it, sloping down to the peaceful river Isle. 18 hectares of beautiful, predominantly wooded, natural surroundings border the property and extend over the heights providing an ideal setting for walks. Numerous trails will delight horse-riders, especially as their mounts can then rest in suitable stables, standing at the end of a bridle path. This castle was built in the 16th century on old wine storehouses and then raised a level in the 19th century so that staff could be accommodated on site. Now perfectly restored with great attention paid to its authenticity, flanked by its two impressive round towers, it exudes a proud bearing. By its sides, a house and a barn in need of restoration provide a surface area of approx. 300 m² to be developed. The buildings are bordered by a wide terrace, protected by stone baluster railings, which dominates a second terrace, taken up by a vegetable garden, and a secondary road leading to Périgueux, passing by on a lower level.

A listed castle and its formal French garden surrounded by 5 ha of grounds in a town of art and history in the Cantal region. The property is accessed via a pleasant, tree-lined village road. The castle and the surrounding buildings are of volcanic stone, forming a remarkable ensemble. The property is walled on the village side, and therefore hidden from prying eyes. Some architectural and natural elements can be made out from a distance, such as the squinch turret on the main house and the tall trees. The castle borders the perimeter wall of the property. A formal French garden stretches out in front, like a carpet of greenery. The tennis court to the east of the castle and the swimming pool to the west are protected from view by groves of trees. The parklands, which extend over more than 5 hectares next to the chateau, include magnificent trees and beautiful coniferous species.

18 km from the gates of Paris, a Louis XIII 'brick and stone' chateau in the heart of 60 hectares of gardens, park and woodlands. Due east, the entrance to the property faces the sunrise, down a straight 2 km driveway that inevitably draws the eye towards the chateau. In 1389-1390, the estate was mentioned for the first time as a plot of land cleared for a religious community. Around 1581, the farm was fortified, and yet the construction of the present chateau began as soon as 1617. The patron, a prominent administrator of the French kingdom in the 17th century, was a lover of court ballets, a penchant that was taken up by the Marshal of Saxony during his construction work in the mid-18th century. Facing east, framed by two square lodges, the large gate crowned with floral scrolls opens onto the formal 'Allée d'Honneur” (alley of honour), lined with lawned beds. Two parallel foliage belts, formerly bridle paths, lead to the heart of the estate. The French formal gardens, designed in the classical style, have left their discreet mark to the north. At the front, the majestic gardens provide a vanishing point perspective as you pass through the gates: everything leads to the chateau. The aristocracy was both a generator and a follower of fashions: reflecting the intellectual struggles of the 19th century, the romantic style replaced the classical. Thus, to the west, the French formal design of the grounds was transformed into an English-style landscaped park with a pond and irregular groves over a stretch of about 800 m. Finally, to the south, a rectangular grass parterre is dotted with trees along its sides, and a dressed stone barn stands in the north-east corner. Once past the two animal sculptures bordering the Allée d'Honneur, the gates with their forged scrollwork over the fixed bridge above the moat open onto the paved “Cour d'Honneur” (courtyard of honour). Dating back to the 17th century, the chateau comprises a U-shaped main edifice on three levels built around the forecourt, with two lower wings on either side. 'Of brick and stone', it features striking colours typical of the Louis XIII period. Its large bays let the light shine through from one side to the other, from the rising sun on the French-style Allée d’Honneur to the setting sun on the romantic English-style park. Surrounding the earth platform, the moat with its 16th century scarps and counterscarps, which can be crossed by three fixed bridges - at the front, at the back and to the north, in the direction of the outbuildings - is bordered by the traditional false palisades. They are fed by a stream which subsequently runs underneath the park. There is no doubt that their preservation played a significant symbolic role for the cultured aristocracy of the time. The moat is a reminder of the inherent military function of the nobility, but also of their sophisticated mind. Today in part filled with water, the moat played in medieval and early modern literature the role of a border between the real and the fairy world. A grotto decorated with shells and “rustiques” (rusticware inspired by Bernard Palissy) accessed by a double flight of stairs at right angles, was built in 1635 in the southern moat, below the Cour d’Honneur. To the immediate north of the chateau, on the other side of the moat, the outbuildings are H-shaped, with lodges - formerly a cheese dairy and chapel - abutting the corners of the chateau. The fixed bridge leads from the Cour d'Honneur to the centre of the complex of outbuildings. They are laid out around a gravel courtyard. To the east is the former caretaker's cottage. Combined, the chateau and the outbuildings offer roughly 2,860 m² of floor space including 42 bedrooms. Some 15 additional rooms could also be fitted out. Finally, the 60 hectares are enclosed by walls 3 m high, with 10 gates and 5 sunken fences or ha-ha.

An impressive 18th century chateau on almost 5 ha of land in the Bresse region of Burgundy, to be saved. The chateau is situated on the outskirts of a village of some 200 inhabitants, on the site of an earlier fortified house. It used to face two outbuildings, one of which still exists, all surrounding a vast square courtyard, bordered by an old moat, part of which has been restored. All the buildings face east/west.

An elegant, comfortable chateau with outhouses, nestled in seven hectares of grounds in eastern France, between Lyon, Dijon and Geneva. You reach the property from a secondary road. It is hidden behind tall walls and the thick groves of its grounds. The design of these grounds drew inspiration from English-style gardens, which were in vogue at the end of the 19th century. The buildings stand around two large courtyards. The main courtyard is enclosed by two residential wings – the north wing, probably built in the 18th century, and the west wing, built in the mid-19th century – and by former farming outhouses on its south and east sides, as well as a chapel beside the entrance to the court. The second courtyard is more recent. It is enclosed by a warden’s lodge and storage buildings that are used for technical aspects of the property. A Gallo-Roman settlement is thought to have stood here. The place was a Knights Templar commandery from the 12th century to the 16th century. Then the Knights of the Order of Malta ran the property up to the French Revolution. Over the past three centuries, only two different families have lived in the chateau. This has given it the harmonious appearance that you can admire today. The whole property has been maintained very well and is currently in a perfect state.

A 15th-century chateau with three gîtes and 6 5 hectares of grounds, nestled in France’s Lauragais province, 45 minutes south-east of Toulouse. From a country lane, the property’s main gate leads into a gravel court. The chateau and the three gîtes stand at the edge of this court. The property is made up grounds that cover 6.5 hectares and include woods and meadows. The gîtes lie at a right angle to the chateau. This layout structures the property, directs the flow of vehicles and pedestrians and separates the holiday homes from the grand edifice. The facades face different directions and gaze at the horizon. The back of the gîtes looks at a side wall of the chateau, with which the gîtes edge a court lined with trees and shrubby hedges. There are two swimming pools: one behind the chateau and the other one next to the gîtes. The property dates back to 1492. Under an order from King Louis XIV of France, the chateau was extended and the Countess of Toulouse then lived in it. The edifice was redesigned in the centuries that followed, but its main section with three floors has kept its medieval appearance with a round tower flanking it and limestone masonry forming its old walls. Its facade is punctuated with windows in perfect symmetry. These windows are arched at the top. Their surrounds are made of dressed stone, their frames are made of wood and their shutters and pane bars are painted white. The rear face is different. The windows are similarly arched but laid out around several axes of symmetry and extensions adjoin the chateau on this side too: two orangeries that were built at each end of the main section. These two orangeries are identical to each other. Both are single-storey structures bathed in light from panels of glazing made up of small panes. Today, they house a wide range of plants. The outbuildings are made up of four structures built on a slope in a long row with different roof heights. Windows punctuate the walls asymmetrically. These windows are of varying shapes, sizes and materials. The roofs of the property’s different buildings are covered in monk-and-nun tiling and have either one or two slopes. Brick chimney stacks dot these roofs.

A 19th century chateau in the Vienne region, entirely renovated, with 4 hectares of parklands. A driveway lined with trees leads to the property. First the outbuildings come into view, followed by the south-facing chateau. It is set in the middle of acres of parklands and the neighbouring forest which protects the immediate surroundings.

A 15th-century castle in need of restoration, its hamlet of outbuildings and its panoramic grounds of 6 ha, 30 minutes from Brive in the Corrèze region. From the town centre, a country lane leads to the main entrance of the property. A driveway winds gradually through the English-style landscaped grounds, first bordered by hedges on either side, and then along a line of tall deciduous trees. The track ends beneath a large lime tree facing the castle, in whose shade it is easy to park or to discover the stunning vista. The medieval edifice stands proudly at the centre of a largely lawned plateau, below which a vast meadow stretches out to the great valley to the east. The panoramic view takes in the entire landscape from north to south - a single arc of greenery. Behind the chateau, hidden by the vegetation that marks the boundaries of the soberly landscaped grounds, are the large stone outbuildings. Built in the 19th century, they were designed to modernise the servants’ quarters and other outhouses of the estate without detracting from the authenticity of the medieval buildings. Two of these outbuildings face each other and are separated by a driveway that leads to a long farmhouse with sturdy stone walls. This drive, which serves a courtyard before marking the exit from the property, connects to a street running through the village. At the western end of the property stands an old winery, dating from the same period as the castle, a reminder of the region's wine-growing past.

A 17th-19th century chateau, outbuildings, grounds, swimming pool, tennis court and vineyard, set in almost 9 hectares of land 1 hour from Bordeaux, between the sea and the Gironde river. Set in the middle of the Médoc vineyards, the estate consists of a 5-hectare rectangular island of greenery and almost 4 hectares of vines to the north. The first part, which is entirely enclosed, has a service entrance to the south and a discreet main entrance with a driveway leading straight up to the chateau to the west. Not far from the vineyards, it is separated from the outbuilding by a moat. With woods to the west, the gardens stretch east from the main building to the south, passing through a bamboo grove and a palm grove to reach a swimming pool and guest lodge. When you turn back to the south-west, a vast clearing bathed in light is surrounded by around 100 cedar trees. As it wasn’t created very long ago, the circular site is suitable for helicopter landings. The tennis court is located between the clearing and the woods.

4 km from the Alabaster Coast, in parklands of almost 14 hectares, a 17th century listed chateau with numerous outbuildings. A quiet country road leads through fields and groves to a wrought-iron gate supported by brick pillars topped by sculptures. The caretaker's house, the former kennel and the dovecote are located at the entrance to the park. A driveway lined with tall trees leads to the chateau. It is surrounded by gravel areas followed by vast lawned grounds which separate it, on one side, from three outbuildings and, further ahead, from the stables. At the rear, the orchard, the “pavillon d’octroi” (local customs lodge) and the rose garden with the two swimming pools are located beyond the lawns. The woodlands are situated on the edge of the property.

A small 18th-century chateau with an adjoining house and a 3,000m² garden, nestled in a town in France’s Vienne department that draws many visitors. Tall, protective walls separate the property from the road. Beyond the gate, you first enjoy a view of the garden and outbuildings. The chateau then comes into view with its classical facade with two wings and a central section set back. The walls are made of local stone and partly rendered. The adjoining house and courtyard lie at the back. You reach them via a small flight of steps.