An 18th-century château, part of which is classified as a Historic Monument
and almost 13 hectares of grounds near Guéret, in the Creuse department
Guéret, CREUSE limousin 23000 FR

Location

Located in the Creuse department on the edge of the village of Sainte-Feyre and 6 km from Guéret, the property is close to the N145, providing easy access by car to the A71 motorway to the east, in the direction of Orléans and Clermont-Ferrand, and the A20 motorway to the west, in the direction of Vierzon and Montauban. From La Souterraine SNCF station, which is 30 minutes' drive away, there are trains reaching Paris in 3 hours and Toulouse in 4 hours.

Description

As you leave the village in the direction of Aubusson, a gate with pilastered sides crowned by an entablature with a projecting cornice marks the main entrance to the property, which adjoins the former gatehouse, which has now been converted into a gite. A tree-lined driveway, bordered to the west by the village, leads to the south-facing main courtyard covered in grass. There are two symmetrical square wings on either side and the former outbuildings. At the far end of the courtyard, a central staircase leads to the terrace which the chateau sits atop. On the north side, a grassed esplanade surrounded by a shady driveway opens out onto the rest of the grounds, which consist of almost 13 hectares of lawns, meadows and copses. The surrounding wooded countryside can be seen from different perspectives. The ruins of a former orangery and an ice house are found below. A second access to the property, to the west on the side of the village and crossing the former outbuildings, was probably for the household staff and suppliers.

The chateau

It is three storeys high, faces north and south, and dominates the grounds with its two symmetrical 45 m long facades. Each is arranged around a double porch, surmounted by a central, slightly projecting, triangular pediment and has 39 windows surrounded by granite stone. Its four-slope roofs are covered with flat tiles. Dating back to 1760, it was built on the site of an earlier château, where the Dauphin, the future Louis XI, stayed in 1439. It is the work of the architect Joseph Brousseau from Limousin, who built several historical buildings in Haute-Vienne, Creuse and Orne. Listed as a Historic Monument in 1967 and 1986, certain elements both inside and out are protected.


The ground floor
Accessed from the outside via a two-leaf door under the south-facing entrance porch, it comprises of a succession of barrel-vaulted former service rooms (guard room, kitchens, cellars, etc.) dating back to the earliest chateau, which run the length of the building. Some of the old floor tiles have been preserved, as have two fireplaces from the Gothic period. The boiler room and its fuel tank have been installed in one of the old cellars. An internal staircase leads directly to the first floor from the main entrance.
The first floor
Completely renovated, it is accessible from the outside via two main entrances to the north and south and two secondary gable entrances to the east and west. The main entrance, with its floor paved with large square granite slabs set out in a diagonal pattern, leads directly to the two château wings. The wide, half-turn staircase to the right with a landing, also made out of granite, leads to the second floor. The north entrance, which opens onto the grounds via a double half-glazed door and also accessible from the main hall, is paved with hexagonal granite slabs. Behind the panelling there is an 18th-century oratory decorated with faux marble and stucco.

The east-facing wing is made up of an adjoining antechamber with a herringbone parquet flooring leading to a small guest bedroom and a mezzanine room accessed via a narrow stairway, followed by a large bedroom lit by two south-facing windows, which also has herringbone parquet flooring and a granite fireplace. This is followed by another antechamber with the same layout as the previous one and a second large bedroom in the gable roof, lit by two windows to the south and one to the east, with a granite fireplace. A bathroom has been fitted in the bedroom and there is a separate toilet. A small entrance hall in the gable leads to a third corner bedroom with cupboards and a fireplace, lit by one window to the east and another to the north. This then leads to a fourth bedroom with antique Versailles parquet flooring, two north-facing windows, a granite fireplace and a separate shower room with toilet. It is possible to also go straight to the second antechamber. Double doors then lead through to the large living room with Versailles parquet flooring, three windows overlooking the grounds to the rear and a fireplace.

From the lounge and by crossing through the north entrance hall, you enter the west wing of the chateau, starting with the vast granite-floored dining room, lit by three windows, with a fireplace and an old fountain. The vaulted ceiling is made of exposed brick. Next there is a fully fitted, tiled kitchen with a large central island for dining, a Lacanche range cooker, a fireplace with a wood-burner and two north-facing windows, followed by the utility room with terracotta tiling, a double sink and appliances. This is followed by the second secondary entrance under the west gable, which leads to a separate toilet, a mosaic-tiled shower room with a large shower and a double washbasin, and a room now used as an office. Paved with modern tiles, it is lit by two south-facing windows and still has a fireplace. Next, we find a second, smaller study with a window overlooking the main courtyard, antique wide strip parquet flooring and direct access to the kitchen to the rear and a final bedroom. This room, which opens onto the park to the south via two windows, has more recent narrow strip parquet flooring in oak. Before reaching the main entrance, a third antechamber is set out identically to the first two, with two small rooms stacked on top of each other which are used as spare bedrooms.

Wood panelling, mouldings and gypsum work have been preserved throughout the entire first floor, with ceiling heights of around 4.20 m in the main rooms and 9 m in the south hall. Fuel oil-fired central heating is provided by old cast-iron radiators.

The second floor
From the landing, which is lit by a north-facing window overlooking the grounds, it partially follows the first floor plan. In need of complete renovation, it is made up of several hallways, former bedrooms and an access to the attic.

The outbuildings

Built on either side of the chateau, there are several buildings, some of which are still in use as sheds and barns, others of which are in need of renovation such as the former servants’ lodgings, and others that are still in ruins but are indicative of the domestic organisation of the chateau in the 18th and 19th centuries. Some older buildings give an idea of the property's more distant origins, including the remains of a defensive tower. In the grounds, the ruins of a former orangery and ice house are partly hidden by vegetation.

At the entrance to the property, the former gatehouse has been converted into a gite. Completely renovated and with a slate roof, it is made up of a tiled main room on the ground floor with a lounge area in front of the fireplace, a small open-plan kitchen and a separate toilet. Upstairs, there is a shower room with a toilet and two bedrooms with parquet flooring in the attic.

The grounds

Still organised according to 18th century plans, they surround the chateau with, to the south, a tree-lined avenue leading up to the grassy main courtyard. To the north, the terrace, also laid to lawn, is encircled by a driveway with a double row of trees, curved at the end to form a viewpoint overlooking the surrounding countryside. To the rear, meadows and copses extend the grounds in a more romantic style. To the west, a vegetable garden has been planted, as well as an orchard which borders the village.

Our opinion

Elegant and refined, this is a rare, if not unique, emblematic 18th-century building in the Creuse department. Most of the chateau is a protected Historic Monument, and its vast grounds dominate the countryside. It is close to a village with small shops. It can be lived in straight away for private use, and it has large scope for additional development, not only for those wishing to preserve a unique historical building, but also to increase its accommodation capacity or develop a professional project. It is 3.5 hours from Paris.

Exclusive sale

1 250 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense


See the fee rates

Reference 915066

Land registry surface area 12 ha 50 a 65 ca
Main building surface area 1600 m2
Number of bedrooms 8
Outbuilding surface area 2000 m2


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

Consultant

Guy de Montgailhard +33 1 42 84 80 85

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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.

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