Property Flers (61) Price: $ 624,500 USD

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Surface 300 m² Bedrooms 5  Bathroom 1  Land 1 800 m²

On the edge of Norman Switzerland, in a French formal garden of 1800 m², a 19th century townhouse with an Italian touch.
Situated in the north-west of the Orne, the N12 trunk road links the property to the capital in only 2h50. The Normandy-Maine park and the mountains of Norman Switzerland are 20 minutes away. In the centre of the town stands an 18th century chateau. The second largest town in the department and the birthplace of linen and cotton weaving factories, it also benefits from a bus and coach network that covers the conurbation. A 40-minute drive takes you to Falaise and Argentan. The SNCF train station puts Paris within 2 hours’ reach, every day of the week. The local economy thrives thanks to aeronautical industries and a centre for higher education.
The townhouse is situated in the most sought-after part of the town, where its architect, Henri Amiard, also had his own house built. The house was commissioned by a wealthy spinning mill entrepreneur in 1880. From the street, after passing through the imposing gate, the main courtyard, planted with two olive trees, extends to the steps of the porch. An extension with its own entrance adjoins the building. On the opposite side of the house, a garage leading to the basement can be reached from both sides of the facade. At the rear, a large terrace provides access to the French formal garden designed in an elongated style and enclosed by a stone wall. On the side of the 1800 m² plot, an outbuilding is currently used as a workshop.
The townhouseThe architect Henri Amiard drew the plans in 1880. Built of brick and sandstone, it has a plan in the form of a rectangle of more than 320 m² over three levels as well as a cellar and a gambrel roof. The window frames boast scrolled pediments and the corner quoins are dressed stone. Wooden pelmets adorn the frames of the openings. The Mansard roof clad with fish-scale slates features Louis XV dormers. The pediment bears initials in a medallion. Renaissance columns frame the openings on all floors. Topped by a balcony supported by acanthus-leafed brackets, the metal and glass entrance door lets the daylight pour in.
Ground floor
The tone is set at the entrance, which rolls out a carpet of multicoloured marble tesserae, forming a mosaic in the spirit of Italian palaces. The hallway serves all the rooms on the ground floor and the wooden staircase. Its balustrade is of wrought iron and the newel represents the statue of a child supporting a gilded bronze ball, engraved with portraits. Above the staircase, two mascaron ornaments face each other. The ceiling height is significant, reaching 3m50. On one side, a room with a marble fireplace. On the other side, a drawing room boasting a moulded ceiling adorned with musical instruments and opening directly on to the dining room-study. The sunlight from both sides illuminates the solid oak floor and the carved double door. The extension accessed from the entrance hallway comprises a passageway, a shower room, a toilet and a laundry room. A large contemporary kitchen with high gloss floor opens onto the terrace overlooking the garden. A staircase leads down to the cellar to the boiler room and the garage.
First floor
A large landing serves two bedrooms, a toilet and a study. One of the bedrooms features a marble bathroom and a closet. A spiral staircase leads to the second floor. Large windows let the daylight pour in.
Second floor
A wide corridor, two bedrooms, a shower room and a vast space of 40 m² which could be fitted out extend over this level, lit by large windows under the gambrel roof.
Jardin à la française
It has a symmetrical and orthogonal layout. Two straight paths face each other, forming a game of perspectives from the terrace. The grassed lawn runs alongside the hydrangea beds. At each end stand perfectly …