Luxury farmhouses for sale Douillet Le Joly, France

South of the Normandy-Maine Regional Park, a 15th century feudal manor house, its outbuildings and its pond. Access to the property is via a driveway framed by an orchard and a vegetable plot. Old outbuildings face each other on either side. The residence stands at the back of the courtyard. Meadows planted with hedges enclose the buildings. They protect them from the wind and provide shelter from prying eyes. The complex offers views over the surrounding countryside, from the pastures to the cultivated fields. Two ponds receive water from a stream that flows into the Sarthe, a few meadows away. The origins of the site date back to the eleventh century. In the 14th century, this was one of the largest feudal manors in the area. During the French Revolution, it lost its influence. Built around 1450 by the Saint-Berthevin family, the cellar and the central part of the present building, with its monumental fireplace, bear witness to this feudal past. However, the defensive towers once abutting this feudal building have not survived. In the 18th century, the parish registers mentioned the old pond and the fishing rights for the farm.