An elegant 17th & 19th century chateau with its outbuildings,
set in 20 hectares of unspoilt nature, on a hill in the Yonne department
set in 20 hectares of unspoilt nature, on a hill in the Yonne department
Auxerre,
YONNE
burgundy
89000
FR
Location
Less than 2 hours south-east of Paris, the property lies in Burgundy, in the department of Yonne, halfway between Auxerre and Chablis, both 15 minutes away. At the meeting point of the Morvan, the Gâtinais français and the Forêt d'Orient Regional Nature Parks, as well as the National Forest Park, the chateau is set in an area abounding in hills and streams.
Two nearby train stations provide services to the capital taking 1 hour 45 minutes, while the A6 motorway is 10 minutes away.
Description
On the edge of a forest, the property appears at the end of a hedge-lined driveway that leads into the grounds with the chateau and its parklands on one side and the farm buildings and orchards on the other. Perched on the top of a hill, the chateau dominates a bucolic landscape, defined by a vast expanse of meadows stretching towards the forest below.
Some of the former outbuildings of the chateau no longer form part of the property, but the quality restoration work carried out on these buildings contributes to the aesthetic appeal of the property as a whole. The property extends over just over 20ha of parklands and meadows, which includes 1.8 hectares of land zoned for building.
Some of the former outbuildings of the chateau no longer form part of the property, but the quality restoration work carried out on these buildings contributes to the aesthetic appeal of the property as a whole. The property extends over just over 20ha of parklands and meadows, which includes 1.8 hectares of land zoned for building.
The chateau
Dating back to the 17th century, the chateau was once part of a much larger estate that brought together the various chateaux in the region, set in around 2,000ha of woodland. The owners were large families related to each other by birth or marriage. Following the French Revolution, a fire destroyed most of the chateau, sparing only the outbuildings and the dovecote. In the 19th century, a second, different looking building was built on the foundations of the first chateau. Square-shaped wings were added instead of round towers. The main rectangular building now covers a floor area of around 825m² and has three storeys. The light-coloured, rendered facades are of elegant simplicity. The central entrance door is the centre point of an axis of symmetry, with numerous evenly-spaced windows on either side, all with stone surrounds. Sculpted stone dormer windows illuminate the attic and enliven the large slate roof.
The majestic facade of the chateau on the parklands side is quite different from the frontage on the courtyard side, which is less impressive and more delicate, leaving more space for the surrounding 17th century outbuildings.
There even seem to remain vestiges of the original building: small square towers, much smaller than the others, delicately protrude from the facade.
In the past, the entrance was via this courtyard, enclosed by cast-iron fences. Until the Second World War, the chateau was inhabited by a noble family, before being bought by an industrialist whose children sold it to its current occupants.
The ground floor
The double entrance door made of moulded wood is on the parkland side. The full-depth hallway features a large double quarter-turn staircase of Burgundy stone and dark wood. The handrail is of cast wrought iron. All the rooms feature moulded oak wall panelling. The floors are of stone tiles with cabochons, quarry tiles or oak parquet, and the ceilings have decorative mouldings. The main rooms are full-width facing both the courtyard and the park, which makes them particularly light and airy. The warm, velvety colours chosen for the walls contrast with the black tones found in all the furniture, and with the white ceilings and windows. The bright colours of the paintings, earthenware and crockery complete this feast for the eye and the mind.
To the right, the dining room features a 19th-century fireplace, and a door provides access to the private kitchen below, facing the courtyard. There is a scullery at the back, with small local earthenware tiles and a stone sink. The sitting room overlooks the garden. At the far end is an anteroom with en-suite facilities and an office.
To the left of the main entrance, the sitting room features a more refined decor than the other rooms, boasting elaborate mouldings and a pink marble fireplace with a plaster overmantel depicting a mythological scene. A storage area to the right of the fireplace is used for the tableware needed for dining guests. Opposite, a passageway leads to a small scullery, the lavatories and the breakfast room. The stone floor is patterned with cabochons.
The garage in the courtyard provides access to the cellars and the chateau's heating system.
The first floor
The staircase leads to a large corridor serving the bedrooms on either side.
Large windows illuminate the dark grey walls and tinted hardwood floors. In keeping with the general feel of the chateau, the first floor is full of marvels, including artists' objects, designer furniture and vivid paintings.
Almost all the rooms overlook the park. The floors are of tinted oak, the walls are unadorned and the fireplaces are of different shades of marble. Each bedroom includes large wardrobes.
To the left of the staircase, the hallway leads to a study and a modest storage area. A wing at right angles comprises a bedroom, a closet and a bathroom.
On the other side, there is a gym, a bedroom and an en-suite bathroom. The wing at right angles houses a second bedroom with bathroom. At the far end of the corridor are a laundry room and a passageway leading to the wooden service staircase. These stairs connect to the kitchen on the ground floor as well as to a small flat in the roofspace.
The current design of the upstairs features wall colours ranging from plum or grey to English green, highlighting the fabrics chosen and contrasting nicely with the white and black accents that have been applied.
The top floor
In the right wing of the chateau, the roofspace has been converted into a flat. The landing is accessed via the service staircase. It serves a sitting room, a bedroom, a small kitchen and a bathroom. A vast attic, as yet unused, covers the entire floor area of the building. The chateau contains areas that could potentially increase the overall living space, all the more as they are judiciously lit by numerous windows.
The basement
They can be accessed via the main entrance from under the staircase or through the garage. A series of small vaulted spaces are used to house the tanks containing the fuel oil needed to heat the chateau or to store items such as wine bottles.
The outbuildings
The outbuildings are located on the edge of the former grand courtyard, once the main entrance to the chateau. At right angles to the main building, they close off the courtyard.
With a total floor area of approx. 300m², they include a generously proportioned rectangular house with rendered facades. Its hipped roof is clad with small Burgundy tiles. The surrounds of the openings and the corner quoins are of the same white stone. The stables are next to the house. This lower building has a similar appearance, with window surrounds of local white stone and a roof with small tiles. A dovecote adjoins the stables. A small gravel path, lined with box hedges, leads to each building. Ornate cast-iron entrance gates enclose the complex.
The stable
Three large horse stalls have been installed in the middle section of the outbuildings. The attic, where hay and straw are stored, can be accessed directly from the stables.
A rubber-coated washing facility adjoins the stables. An exit to the track provides easy access to the meadows and the quarry.
The dovecote
A remnant of the former chateau, the dovecote is a round, two-storey tower with a pepperpot roof. It has retained its wooden spiral staircase and contains around 1,500 pigeonholes. Its facades are entirely rendered, and only the openings are surrounded by stone.
The caretaker’s house
Dating from the 17th century, this is the oldest outbuilding. It has three storeys.
The ground floor comprises a tack room, a small, low-ceilinged room with exposed beams and a fireplace, a dairy and a shed. An oak staircase accessed from both the courtyard and the drive leads to the upper floors. On the first floor, an L-shaped corridor serves a small kitchen, a lavatory, a sitting room and a dining room. All the walls are painted white or grey. The flooring is sisal or large black tiles.
On the top floor, in the roofspace, there is a large bedroom with its own walk-in wardrobe and bathroom. The timber frame has been left exposed. The white walls and sisal floor are designed to create a sense of unity. The entire dwelling is comfortable and very bright.
The farm and the orangery
The farm buildings, situated on the other side of the track separating them from the chateau, were added in the 19th century. With tiled roofs featuring wall dormers, hanging dormer windows, they form a large, rectangular, two-storey structure. The total floor area is about 400m². The fully restored building now houses a spa, a restaurant and two lodgings. Opposite, there is a barn serving as pool house, boiler room and shelter for the pellet silo. The whole complex is enclosed by white walls with brick pilasters providing the necessary privacy for the large swimming pool installed in the former courtyard.
An orangery dating from the same period is just a few metres away. Further on, there are a training arena for horses, two sand paddocks, a petanque court and an old well.
The ground floor
This building has been faithfully and harmoniously restored. The walls and ceiling beams are painted white, and the floors are anthracite concrete quartz. The joinery is of dark grey steel. The contemporary decor is in perfect harmony with the old features. Behind a large glazed opening, a vast professional kitchen, conceived by Dutch designer Roderick Vos, is a work of art made of metal and oak. Everything is geared towards preparing meals for guests. Bright and inviting, the kitchen takes up a large part of the ground floor. A staircase of unfinished oak leads up to the dining room.
You have to exit the kitchen to reach the sitting room of the first lodging: a large sitting room with white walls and a concrete floor in which an elegant oak spiral staircase, made by an Italian craftsman, has been installed. The bedroom is located on the first floor.
A spa has been created in the centre of the building: a room with a professional hammam and sauna, an entrance with a washbasin, the technical room at the back containing the house's entire heating system and, to the right, a shower room with toilet.
Finally, on the far right, a door opens into the sitting room of the second lodging, which is perfectly identical to the first.
The upstairs
Although all the rooms have sloping ceilings, the space is nonetheless very airy: white walls, sisal flooring, oak furniture with extremely contemporary lines. There is a restaurant above the kitchen.
Each lodging includes a bedroom with an open-plan bathroom on the first floor. The bathrooms feature a bath, shower, toilet, bidet and double washbasin. The decor is consistently tasteful.
The swimming pool
Dug right next to the farmhouse, it is surrounded by a terrace of grey Ipé wood. It measures 19m x 5m. The water is heated by a pellet-fired boiler. All the technical installations are hidden from view, as they are located in the barn.
The orangery
The building features an arcade of large arched openings surrounded by white brick and stone, a half-hipped, tiled roof and ivy-covered facades. The orangery is tall enough to shelter the green plants and trees that need protection during the winter. The zinc potting tables are original. The space is fully heated.
The park, the meadows and the orchards
The chateau and its outbuildings are set in 6 hectares of grounds. The orchard lies on the boundary of the old farm, while the 14 hectares of meadows on either side of the building slope down towards the valley. The grounds behind the chateau are planted with centuries-old trees. Small clumps of box and rhododendrons protect a stone pond. Small gravel paths run here and there beneath arbours of hornbeam. There is a rectangular pond at the far end of the park, which is completely enclosed by a latticework of chestnut trees. In addition, sculptures and works by well-known artists are displayed here and there.
Our opinion
The historic chateau was rebuilt in the 19th century in a majestic, sober and extremely elegant style. It is a perfect setting for a successful fusion of styles: the contemporary decor of the interior, with its mix of shapes and colours, suits the chateau like a glove. The interior design is now one of its main attractions. It is practical and beautiful and no detail has been overlooked.
The older outbuildings have been transformed into an additional hospitality and reception area. Ultimately, all the buildings are a tribute to the craftsmen who fitted them out with the greatest care and to the artists producing works that seem to have been made to measure. The hotel business is in full swing, whilst the establishment is a member of the Design Hotels group.
Reference 580164
| Land registry surface area | 20 ha |
| Main building surface area | 1325 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 7 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 851 m2 |
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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.
