A bright, entirely renovated, 140-m² apartment, in Avignon,
in a former Renaissance palace boasting remarkable ceilings with emblazoned closures
in a former Renaissance palace boasting remarkable ceilings with emblazoned closures
Avignon,
VAUCLUSE
provence-cote-dazur
84000
FR
Location
This property is in the heart of the Avignon papacy, a term that refers to the residence and administrative estate occupied by nine popes between 1305 and 1418, in the maze of narrow, now pedestrianised, medieval streets surrounding the palace which immortalised the city’s fame. The nearby covered market and many shops, five senior and junior high schools as well as three hospitals make up the surrounding environment in the international capital of theatre, with its cultural venues, monuments and terraces that are lively throughout the year. Avignon, the centre of the Côtes-du-Rhône winemaking area, is less than 25 kilometres from the Alpilles Mountains, 40 kilometres from the Luberon Mountains, 60 kilometres from Mont Ventoux and 55 minutes from the seaside via the N572 major road. Avignon also boasts an airport and two railway stations, from one of which high-speed TGV trains put Paris within 2 hours 45 minutes reach.
Description
The former palazetto, in which the apartment is located on the second floor beneath the rafters, is one of the survivors of the first major urban regeneration and renovation campaign in the medieval part of the city, carried out in the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century by the Franque dynasty of Avignon architects, in particular Jean-Baptiste and one of his two sons, François II. The property was known as the Hôtel des Beaux de Roaix and was the residence of the Belli family, who came from the Piedmont region in the early 16th century, in the entourage of the papal vice-legates during a period when Avignon was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, outside at the corner of the street, it still boasts the statuette of a Renaissance Madonna, topped with a hooked spire, the only remnant and witness to its rich palatial past.
It was altered in the 18th century and now possesses a discrete facade with rectangular windows punctuated by a narrow door from the street, which opens onto a no less modest flight of stairs. The modernly renovated and well-maintained communal areas of this small commonhold are not typical of Provence townhouses. Indeed, the former access porch has been transformed into a shop. Modern simplicity rather than an ostentatious reconstruction has been the guiding force in the restoration of these spaces, which do not require any further work.
The apartment, however, has fully retained its splendour of yesteryear, with an opulence that is astonishing. It is the first apartment on the landing and opens into a corridor that runs along its length, providing easy and immediate access to all the rooms facing south towards the exclusively pedestrianised street. To the right, there is a utility room, a kitchen, a lounge and a bedroom with an en suite bathroom, while to the left overlooking the courtyard, a spare bedroom is adjacent to a shower room. No neighbours overlook the apartment, whose windows on the street-facing facade look out onto the baroque features of a former church listed as a historical monument and recently transformed into a theatre, which is a common occurrence within Avignon’s walls. Occupants will no doubt never tire of watching the exemplary surrounding baroque architecture change with the direction of the sun’s rays.
It was altered in the 18th century and now possesses a discrete facade with rectangular windows punctuated by a narrow door from the street, which opens onto a no less modest flight of stairs. The modernly renovated and well-maintained communal areas of this small commonhold are not typical of Provence townhouses. Indeed, the former access porch has been transformed into a shop. Modern simplicity rather than an ostentatious reconstruction has been the guiding force in the restoration of these spaces, which do not require any further work.
The apartment, however, has fully retained its splendour of yesteryear, with an opulence that is astonishing. It is the first apartment on the landing and opens into a corridor that runs along its length, providing easy and immediate access to all the rooms facing south towards the exclusively pedestrianised street. To the right, there is a utility room, a kitchen, a lounge and a bedroom with an en suite bathroom, while to the left overlooking the courtyard, a spare bedroom is adjacent to a shower room. No neighbours overlook the apartment, whose windows on the street-facing facade look out onto the baroque features of a former church listed as a historical monument and recently transformed into a theatre, which is a common occurrence within Avignon’s walls. Occupants will no doubt never tire of watching the exemplary surrounding baroque architecture change with the direction of the sun’s rays.
The apartment
Its most spectacular element is the lounge, which is bathed in light, boasting a remarkable Renaissance-era painted wooden coffered and emblazoned ceiling The coffering or closures have been carefully restored and are arranged in five rows across the room’s length and three across its width. In each closure, the central shield bearing the coat of arms is surrounded by figures illustrating the activity of the family in question. A monumental sculpted wooden fireplace added during the reign of Napoleon III, in the Gothic tastes of the time, adds further character to this both ultramodern and medieval lounge.
The kitchen looking out onto the baroque church and two bedrooms with cupboards, one of which as an en suite bathroom and the other an en suite shower room, complete the apartment.
The walls have been painted in an off-white shade, enhanced here and there by a dash of electric blue. The floors are mainly made of grey polished concrete or grey and white terrazzo tiles.
Our opinion
There are no works needed for this very comfortable apartment, which could be ideal for a single person or couple with a taste for heritage. All the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, which is now essential for summers in Provence. Thanks to the double-glazed windows as well as wooden interior shutters, it enjoys excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. Its presence in a small commonhold provides the reassurance of a relatively cosy and private setting, while the presence of many nearby shops of all kinds is a major asset.
Attention to detail and preserving the authentic features were the watchword for this property’s renovation, which is also compatible with modern standards of comfort. All that remains for future occupants is to set up home and enjoy the gentle Avignon lifestyle from a lofty vantage point, during or before and after the festival, a period during which the apartment has been previously rented by theatre enthusiasts each month of July.
430 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 931746
| Land registry surface area | 332 m² |
| Total floor area | 140 m² |
| Number of rooms | 4 |
| Ceiling height | 3 |
| Reception area | 60 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 2 |
| Possible number of bedrooms | 3 |
| Number of lots | 25 |
Aucune procédure en cours menée sur le fondement des articles 29-1 A et 29-1 de la loi n°65-557 du 10 juillet 1965 et de l’article L.615-6 du CCH
French Energy Performance Diagnosis
Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
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NB: The above information is not only the result of our visit to the property; it is also based on information provided by the current owner. It is by no means comprehensive or strictly accurate especially where surface areas and construction dates are concerned. We cannot, therefore, be held liable for any misrepresentation.
