A grand 17th-century house with a lake, a truffle patch and 41 hectares of grounds, nestled
by a quaint town in France’s Périgord area, between the cities of Angoulême et Périgueux
by a quaint town in France’s Périgord area, between the cities of Angoulême et Périgueux
Mareuil,
DORDOGNE
aquitaine
24340
FR
Location
The property lies in France’s beautiful Périgord area, 15 minutes from the charming town of Brantôme, nicknamed the Venice of the Périgord area. It is also 45 minutes from a high-speed train station in the city of Angoulême. From there, you can reach Paris in less than two hours by rail. The property is located in the heart of the Périgord-Limousin regional nature park, halfway between the cities of Périgueux and Angoulême, beside the town of Mareuil-en-Périgord, where the tall ramparts of a medieval chateau tower proudly. The old town of Mareuil was one of the four baronies of the Périgord area. It is renowned for its truffles. This quaint town, which is especially vibrant in the summer, has a weekly market that sells local produce. The town is one of the gateways to the Périgord area. Shops for everyday needs, as well as primary schools and a lower secondary school, are within a four-kilometre radius from the property. The property’s grounds are made up of meadows, woods and a truffle patch that stretches down over a gentle slope to a stream that fills up a one-hectare lake, which you can sail upon. A jetty protrudes out over this lake.
Description
You reach the property via a lane that runs across a gentle slope. This lane stretches through flower-dotted meadows with woods to reach the main dwelling: a grand 17th-century house with a 540m² floor area. This house adjoins a guesthouse with a 310m² floor area. A vast south-east-facing court completes this remarkable home. Beside the house, there are several outbuildings, including a garage, stables and an open-sided horse-riding hall. There is also a wooden chalet with a terrace that offers a view of the large lake that you can sail upon. It stands beside a heated swimming pool that is bathed in sunshine from morning to evening.
The main house
The main house is a traditional edifice typical of Périgord architecture. It has a ground floor and a first floor. It is built upon a rocky rise and is surrounded by lawns from where you can admire clear views. Its elevations are made of rubble stone with lime-and-sand pointing. They are adorned with climbing roses and punctuated with small-paned windows. Behind, on the south-east side, there is a vast paved court. From here, you can admire a beautiful weeping willow beside a stream that fills up a lake just a few steps away.
The ground floor
From the paved court, which lies in the shade of a linden tree, a few stone steps lead up into a large open-plan fitted kitchen with a rammed-earth floor and a rustic fireplace. Beside this kitchen there is a dual-aspect lounge furnished with antiques that evoke Africa and Asia. It features a huge Louis XIII-style fireplace made of dressed stone that contains fossilised shells. This stone fireplace creates a warm, gentle ambience.
The first floor
A flight of oak stairs leads up to four spacious, elegant bedrooms with decor inspired by tales and legends. Each of these bedrooms has an en-suite bathroom.
The guesthouse
Beyond silver birches, the guesthouse offers a floor area of over 300m². It has a ground floor with an open-plan kitchen and a south-facing lounge bathed in natural light. A spiral staircase leads up to the first floor, where there is a corridor with a series of three bedrooms at each end of it, so there are six bedrooms in total up here. Each of these bedrooms has an en-suite bathroom.
The outbuildings
There are several outbuildings, well positioned next to the house. They are mainly used for husbandry of Arabian thoroughbreds. They include stables with a total floor area of 600m², workshops with a total floor area of 480m², an open-sided horse-riding hall with a floor area of 460m², agricultural storage buildings with a total floor area of 434m² and a garage with an 80m² floor area. These outbuildings are officially plotted, so they could be repurposed and they offer many possibilities for development.
The grounds
The lush grounds include vast meadows dotted with flowers in spring and summer and with woods of deciduous trees, mainly oaks and chestnuts. This bucolic backdrop is home to protected wildlife – a delight for the eyes both in the morning and evening. The many mushrooms that grow on these grounds form a delicious natural resource, as does the young truffle patch where truffles grow exponentially. A lake abounding in fish covers one hectare. It is a source of many pleasures. The biodiversity around this lake creates a rare atmosphere – without mosquitoes. Here you can go boating in swimming clothes or fishing in a summer outfit while you listen to birdsong.
Our opinion
True luxury is space. And here you find space in abundance, on a remarkable property that covers 41 hectares. This bucolic haven of freedom offers absolute calm. Yet it lies only four kilometres from a vibrant town centre. This former gîte, which had a 5-star rating up to 2024, is in excellent condition. It is designed to host guests comfortably. The house combines charming old rooms with touches of modern comfort. Indeed, the decoration is a fine balance between the past and the present. The productive one-hectare truffle patch could be extended to cover a larger surface area. All the outhouses are used for husbandry of thoroughbreds. They are in excellent condition and are officially plotted, so they could be repurposed. For example, they could be turned into reception rooms.
Reference 255110
| Land registry surface area | 41 ha |
| Main building surface area | 600 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 7 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 2055 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.
