luxury contemporary house for sale Luc-sur-Mer, France

A 19th-century manor in around 5 hectares of grounds, 4 kilometres from Luc-sur-Mer and 20 minutes from Caen, in the heart of a lush valley. On the outskirts of a neighbourhood dominated by the bright shades of Caen stone, a lush, green track arrives at a wrought-iron gate. Beyond it, the private drive through the woods leads to a clearing tucked away from prying eyes. On one side, a foliage-covered, chalk cliff provides natural protection, while on the other a wood including hundred-year-old trees envelops the place in a peaceful atmosphere. In the centre, the garden is made up of several lawns, an orchard and grassy meadows spanning approximately 6 hectares. The late 19th-century residence, combining neo-Gothic and Anglo-Norman influences, stands on a slight outcrop. The three-storey main residence boasts a semi-underground garden level, a first floor and a converted attic. Its irregular L-shape gives it a picturesque silhouette. The steeply sloped slate roof combines dual-pitched Mansard, pavilion and conical roofs, punctuated by dormers and brick chimney stacks. The roof ridges are topped with decorative metal caps, sometimes arrow-shaped, underlining the building’s verticality. The façade combines light-coloured rendering with decorative half-timbering, in keeping with Anglo-Norman tradition. Tall mullioned and transom windows, a central oriel window and a wooden balcony punctuate the façade, while a semi-circular wooden patio overlooks the grounds. To the rear, a modern glazed extension, with a teak patio, blends into the edifice’s architecture, creating a subtle transition between old and modern. The grounds also play host to a covered swimming pool, a wooden pavilion and several landscaped paths, which lead from the house to the surrounding countryside, enhancing the manor’s romantic character.