luxury houses with terrace for sale France (page 280)

An 18th-century dwelling and its outbuildings, including 8 accommodations for rent, surrounded by 58 hectares of grounds, farmland, woods and a pond, in the Seine-et-Marne department. The property, with more than 58 hectares and only partially enclosed by fencing, includes landscaped grounds, approximately 23 hectares of farmland rented out under two 9-year, renewable leases (annual rent of €2,880), as well as woods, pastures, a pond of nearly 3,000 m² and a natural spring with an overflow catchment area. The property’s two entrances – an electric gate with an entry code and a manual wrought-iron double-leaf gate – open on to two passable drives, which provide separate access to the estate’s many different buildings, including the main dwelling, a manor, a garage, a tower, a greenhouse as well as the accommodations for rent, comprised of flats and small cottages. As for the estate, it is split into two different sections: 1) the private quarters, accessible via the double-leaf gate, which includes the dwelling and its outbuildings: - the dovecote - the garage and the upstairs office-atelier - the manor, in need of a full restoration - the greenhouse - a workshop - a storage shed - a saddle room - a swimming pool - a fisherman’s cabin near the pond - a hunting lodge (metal cabin) - two horse shelters 2) the rental quarters, accessible via the second electric gate, includes 8 accommodations, each with their own patio or garden as well as two parking spots. With five triplexes, three with 63 m² and two with 53 m², an 80-m² flat, a one-bedroom flat of 40 m² (all floor areas approximate) and a small cottage, it is also possible to create two other dwellings, while a single-story house, of approximately 120 m², with an 800-m² garden, is occupied free of charge by the former caretaker, who is allowed to live out her remaining days there. It should be noted that, currently, the property’s two different sections communicate with one another, but could be completely separated if need be.

40 minutes north of Béziers in Hérault, a vacation home in a hamlet by the water. The house, built of local stone over an area of approximately 160 m², forms a U shape and encompasses a communal courtyard that surrounds the three vaulted cellars of the dwelling. Access to the residence is from the main alley, which leads to the church. Anchored in the heart of the hamlet, the simple building, modified over successive periods since its construction in the 19th century, is raised over two floors above ground level and cellars. The majority of the windows are wooden with single glazing, except for the wooden sliding door with double glazing that leads to the tropézienne terrace, located on the upper level. The roof, bordered by a simple terracotta overhang and recently renovated, is made of canal tiles, typical of vernacular architecture. A monumental wisteria clings to the facades from the small courtyard and finishes its journey in a plume on the terrace of the second floor, which it crowns. If the ground floor typically contains a living room and a bedroom with a shower room and toilet, it is on the top level, under the roof, that the kitchen is found, along with the tropézienne and a sleeping room, while the first floor comprises two bedrooms and a bathroom.This description has been automatically translated from French.

A 19th-century Bourgeois home between the River Seine and the Vexin hills, in Vétheuil, with outbuildings and a more than 3,900-m² walled garden. The residence dates from the first half of the 19th century and displays all the characteristic elements of bourgeois architecture. The symmetrical, three-storey building stands on a base of cut stone equipped with basement windows. The combination of red brick and light-coloured stone underlines the regular shape of the tall window frames, fitted with louvred shutters and moulded lintels. The roof is punctuated by dormer windows while three tall, slender chimney stacks stand out from its silhouette. The building stands in the centre of a vast, almost 4,000-m² garden and is set back from the street behind a gate and small wall. To the rear, it opens onto a slightly sloping garden. There are several outbuildings requiring renovation set away to the side of the house. A rotunda style 19th-century veranda stands on the south-facing patio. A flight of stone steps, with well-pruned hedges on either side, leads up to the main entrance door. The property’s balanced structure and fine proportions have been preserved, making this sober edifice typical of the tastes of an era in which secondary homes had to combine distinction, comfort and openness to the surrounding landscape. Refurbishment work will be necessary but the edifice boasts remarkable potential for restoration.

In the south of Lot-et-Garonne, a restored family home with outbuildings and a swimming pool, set on 2.9 hectares of meadows and woods. From the departmental road that serves it, the property is accessible via a grassy dirt path, on either side of which extend vast meadows, punctuated by the presence of a neighboring plot and lined with trees that emphasize the natural boundaries of the estate. At the entrance, a first outbuilding stands like a lookout, marking the threshold of the property. Further along, another building distinguishes itself along the path to the house. Built at the back of the property, the house features an architecture inspired by Basque-Landes residences, a style recognizable here by the large awning that shelters the main facade, to the east. It is bordered at this location by a large terrace defined by a low wall, creating a pleasant and covered outdoor living space. A secondary awning, smaller in size, also creates a covered passage in front of the north facade. The elevations, made of stone, are all coated in plaster, simple, and pierced with straight openings of various formats and irregular arrangements, framed by wooden shutters painted in Basque red. The dwelling is topped with a two-pitched roof, renovated about ten years ago as part of works carried out to unite two small buildings into a coherent whole, raised over two levels. The wooded area surrounding the home creates a green environment with grass and trees while the swimming pool and the area set up for equestrian activities are located near the meadows.This description has been automatically translated from French.

Close to Granville, by the seafront, an Art Deco-inspired villa and its garden. Built in the early 1930s, the 255 m² villa rises over three levels. The west facade faces the sea, the north side offers an unobstructed view of the dunes and beaches, while the south part overlooks the garden, which is bordered by a similarly grand villa. The main entrance is located on the mid-level, granting access to the upstairs and the lower garden level. The latter is also accessible through an independent door at the bottom of the street, on the north side. The garden is structured into several terraces, each connected by wide staircases. A separate outbuilding, at the end of the garden and facing the street, allows for vehicle parking. A complete renovation was undertaken in 2022. The foundations and retaining walls have been reinforced, the roof truss and its copper covering are new, and the windows are made of aluminum. The finishing works, installations, and final touches are yet to be carried out, including a possible redefinition of the spaces.This description has been automatically translated from French.

In the green Beaujolais, in a village near the Lake of Pines, a 190 m² master house from the early 20th century on a plot of 3,440 m². Not far from the church but oriented towards the outskirts of the village, the sloping land faces the forest-covered Beaujolais mountains. Crossing the entrance gate, on the flat part of the estate, the main facade of the house emerges, built in the early 20th century, with a detached porch dedicated to vehicle parking, around a gravel courtyard. Built according to a classic square plan, the main living area follows the codes of the bourgeois country house of its era: topped with a four-pitched roof, part of which is visible in slate, pierced by large openings, it is characterized by an architectural feature of its designer, borrowed from Anglo-Norman houses: a 'bow-window' or 'glazed oriel' projection with a polygonal shape on the ground floor, surmounted by a balcony on the first level. To the south, from the side of the elevated terrace, the land extends towards the river, with a view that stretches far over the surrounding countryside and the geometrically shaped swimming pool.This description has been automatically translated from French.

In the north of the Pilat massif, in the Stéphanian plain, a master house from 1850, its outbuildings, and its park of more than 3 hectares. Immediately close to the village, with a dominant view, the residence is established in a walled park planted with classified trees and graced with a rock garden waterfall as well as a body of water. The building complex is organized around the master house, with a surface area of about 540 m², oriented northwest, rising two and a half levels over a basement and under a slate roof. Built in several phases, the house consists of an initial building dating back to 1851, flanked by two advanced sections, to which a second living unit was added on the west side in 1870, rhythmically accented by a turret. The facade, whose light coating reveals the visible bricks, is animated by balconies, two greenhouses, a raised porch topped with a canopy, and a large terrace. Further on, there is the caretaker's house, which has an independent access, and various outbuildings.This description has been automatically translated from French.

On the edge of the capital, in the quiet of Gentilly, a light and spacious house of 455 m² with terrace and garden . The immaculate façade of the house is punctuated here and there by climbing plants and touches of ultramarine blue: from the railings to the gate and the small, discreet earthenware friezes. Entirely surrounded by walls and lush vegetation, the property is completely hidden from prying eyes and without a vis-à-vis. In all, the house has five floors and 455 m² of living space. The secure gate gives access to the garage on one side, and on the other to the plant-rich and slab-paved path that leads directly to the 76.50 m² lawned garden. The tour of the house begins on the garden floor, where a flight of stairs leads to the high glass-clad blue entrance door. This level, completely independent from the rest of the house, is built around a 25 m² studio with parquet floor, kitchen, shower room and guest toilet. The entire space is lit by a large window reminiscent of old school buildings. From there, a few steps lead to the ground floor and a large kitchen of almost 80 m². Fully equipped, it offers plenty of storage space and a dining area for six people. The kitchen adjoins the open-plan, long dining room, which is large enough to seat at least eight guests. With its large windows, dark parquet flooring and flat white and grey paintwork, this room has a resolutely contemporary look. In one corner, a wood and metal quarter turn staircase leads to the upper level, which features a huge 77 m² living room with light parquet flooring and a modern fireplace. It opens onto a conservatory with glass roofs, which provide plenty of light throughout the day and all year round. To one side, a double French window opens onto the 13m² wooden terrace, large enough to accommodate deckchairs for a relaxing moment. At the back of the room, a white wooden staircase leads up to the second floor. This level consists of the master bedroom of 16 m² with a 14 m² sports room and a bathroom. Further on, the office could easily be converted into an extra bedroom or a walk-in wardrobe. The top floor of the house, under the roof, includes two bedrooms of 16 and 17m² respectively with parquet floors and a shower room. They are illuminated by roof windows and skylights. The basement features a spacious garage, a laundry room, a closet and a wine cellar.

A renovated watermill with two outbuildings and nine hectares of grounds, nestled by the Gorges du Tarn canyon in the Cévennes national park. A medieval bridge, then a village, lead via a lane to the property, which is isolated in a calm, lush backdrop. A Gorges du Tarn walking trail crosses the grounds, though only the occasional walker follows it. The grounds cover around nine hectares and include three buildings. The land edges the river over a distance of one kilometre. Three generations of the same family have followed on from one another inside this home. The old watermill and one of its outbuildings were entirely restored around 15 years ago. The second outbuilding has a new roof of schist tiles. Its interior needs to be restored. A working bread oven and a terrace with a view of the Gorges du Tarn mountains lie beside the buildings.

An elegant residence with a swimming pool in an ornamental garden, on the right bank of the River Seine, in Saint-Germain-les-Corbeil. This more than 200-m² house was built in the late 19th century and is part of a lush green environment, between the grounds around the mansion and the municipality’s park, a public gardens and the house’s own 1,700-m² landscaped garden, from which the bell tower of the neighbouring church can be seen. The residence can be reached via very peaceful small street. The façade, composed of millstone and light-coloured cladding, blends discretely into the landscape. Part of the residence is three storeys high, while another only possesses two. It overlooks a walled garden, courtyard, patios, outbuilding and a swimming pool tucked away from prying eyes. Ivy, Virginia creeper and wisteria freely espouse the façades punctuated with many basket-handle arched or half-moon arched windows. The carefully renovated and decorated interior encapsulates the same attention to elegance with which the current owners have infused the entire property.

In Orne, near Argentan, a Gothic-style residence with contemporary comfort. Facing the Notre-Dame church, the property borders a quiet, winding street in the town center. Accessible directly from the street, the house is discreetly embedded in the old fabric of the village. Three volumes stand out: in the center, the main building, large and regular, is raised two stories high with converted attics, featuring a typical 18th-century facade on the street, punctuated with light blue window frames and shutters. At the back, a sharp-edged tower houses one of the two spiral staircases, remnants of the original Gothic structure. From this period, there are also ornamental brackets, mullions, and crossbeams that adorn some window openings, especially on the garden side. To the north, a lower wing develops over two levels. To the south, angled along the street, a single-story wing ends with a pavilion. The whole structure, built of small white limestone masonry, is topped with flat tiled roofs. Recently renovated, the residence offers contemporary comfort, still retaining many authentic elements: spiral staircases, floorboards, exposed beam ceilings, fireplaces, and trumeaus, wooden joinery with small panes and old doors. In the southern wing, there are two bedrooms, a playroom, a kitchen, a shower room, and two toilets. The northern wing features a garage and technical spaces on the ground floor. The upper floor, accessible from the third bedroom of the main house, includes a bathroom, a bedroom, and an attic. A garden extends the dwelling, in a vast and long wooded plot that stretches west between two meanders of the Udon and the Orne. A first shelter, close to the house and of similar design, adds to the residence around a terrace. A second, smaller brick shelter serves as a garden shed. A gate provides access to the southern part of the plot. An old greenhouse is located to the north.This description has been automatically translated from French.

A former coaching inn on the banks of the River Essonne, on a plot of over 1 hectare, 40 km from Paris . A former coaching inn built in 1890, this farmhouse spans almost 222 m² and has eight rooms. Facing due south, it is set in an enclosed garden of over 1 hectare, part of which is wooded, and whose trees stretch their roots into the water table fed by the Essonne. The entrance is on the landscaped garden side. Bordered by hedges, a lime tree, rose bushes and lilacs, it frames a wide, fine gravel terrace and a well. Built partly on rock, the house has a terracotta tiled roof and rubble stone façades with exposed stone, punctuated by small-paned windows with white wooden frames. The two-storey building, one storey of which is under the sloped roof, has dormer windows and skylights. Several French windows, including some on the upper floor, provide direct access to the terraces and garden.

In Nantes, in the Saint-Félix district, an old hunting lodge from the 18th century, with its nearly 2000 m² terraced garden and outbuildings. Built in 1752, the residence originally belonged to the Château de la Haute-Forêt, now gone. The garden-side facade is organized around a slightly protruding and rounded central body, topped with a rotunda crowned by a slate apse. On the ground floor, a large arched bay with small panes opens onto the garden through a double door, flanked by two other rectangular bays. On the first floor, the rotunda has three large openings, each preceded by a balcony with a wrought-iron railing. The symmetrical composition and proportions reflect the 18th century’s taste for classical balance and light. Raised by two levels under the eaves, the house includes five bedrooms and three bathrooms, with a living area of approximately 190 m². The garden, of nearly 2000 m², once integrated a much larger estate, composed of vineyards and woods extending to the banks of the Erdre. The outbuildings have been reinvented over time, with former stables transformed into a residence adjoining a workshop. To the west, along the street, another set includes shelters and storage spaces, as well as an independent apartment.This description has been automatically translated from French.

An Art Deco inspired 1930s house, in Nantes, in the Monselet district. In a peaceful street, the property stands behind iron railings made up of vertical struts topped by simple points and punctuated by lozenge-shaped geometrical patterns, providing a touch of decorative precision. There is a pedestrian gate as well as a larger gate providing car access to the garage. The two-storey house, also with an attic level, has neighbouring buildings on either side. It boasts a courtyard looking onto the street and an outside area to the rear with different levels: a patio, a courtyard and a lawn. The building combines solid materials and traditional elements such as granite, ironwork and period joinery with the daring Art Deco spirit. The façade is both balanced and expressive. It is an illustration of the care lavished upon residential architecture in the inter-war period, a time in which each detail, such as stone arches, finely crafted guard-rails and small-paned windows, sought to combine modern comfort with urban distinction. Clues of the interior layout are given by studying the façade. The sleeper wall made of rough-hewn blocks of granite supports a first floor with light-coloured rendering whose simplicity emphasises the geometric rigour of the windows. The ground floor, with lower ceilings and smaller windows, is reserved for cosier rooms and the house’s technical facilities. On the first floor, two wide windows with small panes on the upper part are graced with soberly and stylishly designed guard-rails including geometric patterns, which is another element typical of the 1930s. The first floor includes the reception rooms. The edifice is topped by a gabled roof made of interlocking tiles.

A specially designed house with a swimming pool and 3,500m² of grounds, nestled near the town of Montfort-l'Amaury in France’s Yvelines department next to Paris. The property, which covers around 3,500m², lies just outside the village. A lane runs alongside the property and leads to the forest. The plot is located on the edge of this forest. A hedge and a sliding gate hide the house, which is surrounded by a tree-dotted garden. The dwelling is set back from the road by around 20 metres. Just in front of the main door, there is an outdoor entrance area where several vehicles can be parked. A car shelter stands in this space too. The house dates back to 1976. It is built of pale ashlar. Its slate roof was entirely renovated in 2022. A vast terrace of exotic timber extends on the house’s west side. A heated swimming pool sits in this terrace. The pool is eight metres long and four metres wide and is fitted with a counter-current system. The terrace looks down at a sloping lawn. This commanding position underlines the impression of space on the property. And the garden is not at all overlooked, which also underlines the sense of space here.

A 20th-century Mediterranean villa with a sea view and over 5,000m² of grounds, nestled near Toulon in south-east France. An electric metal gate leads into the property. A winding driveway, lined with stone walls and vegetation, stretches 150 metres. This drive leads to a gravelled court where two age-old olive trees tower. The dwelling has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. It offers a liveable floor area that is currently around 250m². A basement adds 130m² to the floor area. The villa is classical in style. It faces north and south and is made of rubble stone, coated with pale ochre rendering. Many openings punctuate the facade, with large-paned windows and glazed doors fitted with shutters painted green. The edifice is crowned with a gable roof of barrel tiles, underlined with a double-row génoise cornice. The window surrounds and roof stringcourse are white, bringing out the ochre tone of the rendering and all the other colours of the whole. On the south side, there is a terrace with a court with olive trees. Here you can admire a view of Toulon’s natural harbour and the sea. On the west side, there is a second terrace. It offers a view of the surrounding hills and the grounds, which are terraced with dry-stone retaining walls.

In a village in the Aude region, 25 minutes north of Narbonne, a barn converted into a loft with a green inner courtyard. From the street, this former agricultural building, built in the 19th century and recently rehabilitated by an architect, only reveals the barn door, with a dressed stone frame and a semicircular arch, which has been preserved and now serves as the entrance, shielded from view. It is topped with a rectangular metal bay window that contrasts with the historical elements of the simple stone facade, which is oriented towards the east. At the back of the house, in a cul-de-sac, a second entrance is possible through a wooden slatted gate that leads directly to the green courtyard, approximately 40 m² in size. On the right, there is a garage, topped by a terrace overlooking the patio. The dwelling is raised over two levels, covering about 210 m². The tiled roof is punctuated in several places by roof windows that ensure abundant light in several rooms.This description has been automatically translated from French.

An old stone house and shop nestled in one of France’s most beautiful villages with a view of a rocky cirque. This fine dwelling is tucked away among the round and square towers that grace the village’s many country houses, which also feature quaint dovecotes – some genuine, others false. The house is inconspicuous, its architecture unpretentious. Its shape softens the angular forms of the surrounding medieval structures and the sturdy remains of the fortified old town. The building was probably made in the fifteenth or sixteenth century as a modest home. It captures much of this castle village’s unique history. Its simplicity makes it stands out from Autoire’s other houses. Unlike other dwellings in the village, this property does not feature towers, dovecotes, mullioned windows, half-timbering and corbels. Instead, it features straight lines and the stout design of the old block-like houses with upper floors that you find along the Dordogne valley. There are two entrance doors leading into the building. One is on the west side. You enter it at the garden level of the dwelling, at the end of a small garden with a terrace that enjoys a splendid corner spot with a clear, breathtaking view of the nearby limestone cliffs of Autoire’s spectacular cirque. The other one is on the north side. You enter it via a courtyard – a former threshing area – at the ground level. This expanse takes you to a large entrance into two shops next to each other, in front of which chairs and tables are placed for customers. At the back of the courtyard stands a fine modern extension of timber boards that runs along part of the facade made of Quercy stone, where a semibasement with a workshop, boiler room and storage space lies.

A traditional Provence house with large outbuildings, a swimming pool, tree-filled garden, and 2 hectares of fig trees, near to Hyères and 20 minutes from the beaches. From the country road, a lane lined with fig trees, also leading to other houses, heads directly to the property’s entrance and its wide, sliding gate, behind which there is a large, tarmacked inner courtyard. This vast parking area serves the two outbuildings used for the farming activity but also the two-storey main dwelling and the adjacent single-storey apartment to the west. The country house, which was erected more than 20 years ago, combines the main dwelling and independent apartment. It boasts a sober and classic appearance that is respectful of Provence’s architectural traditions: a subtly toned pink rendered façade, almost perfectly symmetrically laid out rectangular windows - though some doors and patio doors are arched - pastel blue Venetian louvred shutters and, depending on the section of the building, hipped or half-hipped roofs made of half-round tiles, underlined by a double genoise corbel. Its southern façade overlooks a large patio that stretches out in front of the apartment to the west, while the approximately 800-m² garden mainly expands to the south and east. The swimming pool and pool-house are located at the southeastern tip of the garden, which is enclosed by walls and hedges, while a working, approximately 2-hectare, certified organic fig tree orchard can be found to south of the house.

Close to the Verdon gorges, in the Var hills, a small 19th-century bastide has been enlarged, set in a 1.7 ha park dotted with pines and olive trees. Less than 5 minutes from the village via the departmental road, access to the fully enclosed property is through a wrought iron gate framed by walls. On the northern edge, the main body of the building forms a harmonious ensemble of square volumes topped with pediments. The former small country bastide from 1808, renovated and extended in 2000, blends with a contemporary wing of similar inspiration, resulting in around 350 m² of living space. The whole structure faces south and overlooks a 1.7 ha park punctuated by pines, olive trees, and other Mediterranean species. The two sections, connected by a large open-plan room that runs through, maintain the coherence of an imposing building, with facades coated in white lime, punctuated by symmetrical openings lined with gray shutters. The railings of the first floor of the former sheepfold are adorned with wrought iron work. The two-pitched roofs and the double eaves emphasize their elegance. The south, west, and north facades are bordered by large gravel terraces. The one to the south, with its two plane trees, opens onto a panorama of hills and scrubland and leads, by a stone staircase, to an alleyway alternately lined with cypress trees and hedges. This leads to a fountain, while the one to the west creates a dining space in the shade of a two-hundred-year-old tree. At the back of the building, to the north, a parking area for numerous vehicles is adjacent to a caretaker's house. Beyond, the terraced olive fields spread out, the pine forest to the east, and set back a discreet masonry pool, protected from view by stone walls and hedges.This description has been automatically translated from French.

A fully renovated, 18th-century manor house, 10 minutes from Poitiers, in 2-hectare grounds with a swimming pool. A small country road runs alongside the property and leads to its two entrances. The first is made up of an entrance porch with a wooden gate, while the second possesses a wrought-iron railing gate. After the first entrance, there are garages followed by a wing in front of which a patio has been installed. The main residence can be found at the end of this L-shaped building, enhanced by an ornamental garden. The façades of the main residence are rendered, with stone quoins as well as window and door frames, while the wing boasts exposed stonework. All the roofs are made up of half-round tiles, plus the entirety of the windows are double glazed. Between the house and the garages, a pond, into which a stream flows, was created in the 18th century. The garden extends to the rear and below the house, with a swimming pool at the same height as the main residence and second entrance.

Just 1 hour and 30 minutes from Paris, in the small Sologne region, an old wine estate has been redeveloped within an 1.8-hectare park overlooking the vineyards. The access to the property is preceded by vast expanses of forests, ponds, and vineyard plots. The estate, located on a gentle hill, overlooks the vineyards. Three distinct entrances marked by double gates lead to the main house, the park, and the outbuildings. A driveable path gradually ascends towards the houses through the well-kept park, planted with tall stems of various and colorful species, revealing some resting areas with seating and ornaments, vases, and stone statues. The main house is bordered by a stone terrace on its north façade. Small brick walls delineate floral flowerbeds. Close to the wine cellar, there stands an old icehouse buried under vegetation. A delicate place that offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Several outdoor locations, covered with stone paving, allow for full enjoyment of the site.This description has been automatically translated from French.

In Amiens, a loft in a rehabilitated former salt warehouse, with an outbuilding and a garden on the banks of the Somme. The property consists of two distinct buildings situated opposite each other within a closed garden of nearly 300 m², which features a terrace and an inner courtyard. The residence, a former salt granary that has been converted, spans approximately 320 m². It is designed as a contemporary loft, with large open spaces spread over one and a half floors. This includes two living rooms, a dining room, a kitchen, two offices, and three large sleeping rooms, including a master bedroom. A separate studio is accessible from the entrance hall. An outbuilding of approximately 200 m² is located opposite. It is occupied by office spaces and a garage, which offers potential for extension or raising, subject to urban planning permissions.This description has been automatically translated from French.

A group of buildings, including a dwelling, two small holiday cottages, barns and offices, constructed out of Quercy stone and surrounded by rolling countryside, between the Lot and Tarn-et-Garonne departments . Located on the side of a hill, the property features a little more than one hectare of land, creating a natural shoulder halfway up the slope and extending down the hillside. As for the dwelling, facing fully south and overlooking the valley, it provides unobstructed views of the Quercy hills, while, the whole complex, made up of several local limestone buildings, is gracefully arranged around a courtyard, a number of patios and meadows bordered by oaks and maples. With its simple and balanced silhouette, the dwelling is topped with a hipped roof, whereas two small holiday cottages and a group of stone outbuildings – a former stable that has now been turned into office space, as well as two open-air barns, including one with a wide covered patio, ideal for summer meals – round out this group of bucolic edifices. In addition, set back from the other buildings, a swimming pool inconspicuously hidden within the verdant vegetation not only blends in seamlessly with the rest of the garden, but is also immersed in peace and quiet. Meticulously cared for, while respecting its history, and designed as if to assimilate perfectly with Quercy’s topography and dazzling light, all of its original volumes, ancient materials and views have been preserved, while the natural colour of its stones, barrel tiles and pastel shutters dialogue with the surrounding vegetation in a delicate balancing act between architecture and nature.

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.