Three houses with swimming pool in a 13-hectare haven of greenery
in the heart of the Quercy hills between the Lot and Tarn-et-Garonne regions
in the heart of the Quercy hills between the Lot and Tarn-et-Garonne regions
Caussade,
TARN-ET-GARONNE
midi-pyrenees
82300
FR
Location
On the edge of the Causse de Limogne limestone plateau, the property is located in a regional hotspot for green tourism, with three protected natural areas, including the Causses du Quercy Geopark and two natural zones of ecological interest, fauna and flora. Truffles, foie gras, saffron, fruit and wine all form part of a gastronomic heritage that is the pride of the region. The region also boasts a wealth of traditional crafts, such as hat-making, as well as a mostly rural architectural heritage featuring the white stone typical of the Quercy region.
15 minutes from Caussade, halfway between Cahors and Montauban, 30 minutes from Toulouse and 1 hour 10 minutes from Albi.
Description
Turning off a country road that winds through the valley, the entrance is marked by two white stone pillars. A track runs alongside the orchard and leads to the three buildings on the property. Comprising a barn and two houses dating from the early 19th century, all comprehensively renovated, they stand close to each other. Each dwelling has its own outdoor space, cleverly delineated by elegant lawns surrounded by flamboyant but perfectly controlled gardens. To the right of the former barn is an annexe used as a workshop.
As is often the case in the Quercy region, the dwellings and outbuildings are erected in close proximity or only a short distance apart, sometimes separated by courtyards with soft contours. The barn and the main house have been linked so as to form one dwelling. The guest house has remained independent.
The three buildings are of white stone, the rectangular openings have wooden frames and green-painted shutters, and the one, two or four-pitched roofs feature monk-and-nun tiles.
Large trees and a few bamboos provide shade and freshness around the houses, very much appreciated during the summer months in this southern region. Opposite the entrance, slightly set back from the buildings on the other side, there is a swimming pool. The grounds beyond, made up of meadows and oak woodland forming a lush green oasis, slope gently down to a small stream that forms the boundary of part of the property.
As is often the case in the Quercy region, the dwellings and outbuildings are erected in close proximity or only a short distance apart, sometimes separated by courtyards with soft contours. The barn and the main house have been linked so as to form one dwelling. The guest house has remained independent.
The three buildings are of white stone, the rectangular openings have wooden frames and green-painted shutters, and the one, two or four-pitched roofs feature monk-and-nun tiles.
Large trees and a few bamboos provide shade and freshness around the houses, very much appreciated during the summer months in this southern region. Opposite the entrance, slightly set back from the buildings on the other side, there is a swimming pool. The grounds beyond, made up of meadows and oak woodland forming a lush green oasis, slope gently down to a small stream that forms the boundary of part of the property.
The barn
Converted into a dwelling, the barn has a pavilion roof, one side of which is extended by an additional, gently sloping pitch. One of the hips forms a canopy over the entrance, sheltering the terrace and the whitewashed facade.
A few steps lead up to a three-leaf glazed door, facing south-east, which opens directly into a sitting room of almost 65 m². This vast room features an impressive ceiling height and walls painted in a very light yellow. It showcases the timber frame providing structure and the striking mezzanine. Two windows topped by a set of six small square panes complement the light flooding in through the glass door. An insert fireplace set on a stone base adds a modern touch. An old cast-iron spiral staircase leads up to the light-coloured wooden mezzanine comprising a reading area, a raised section where the roof is at its highest and a storage room.
The floor, entirely finished in large light-coloured tiles, gives the room a certain homogeneous feel and extends on to a kitchen, accessed on the right through a passage in a wide stone wall. Situated under the long, supplementary section of the barn, it is lit by four windows and a glazed door providing access to the vegetable plot. The kitchen includes a scullery. The walls are painted, just as in the living room, with the exception of the exposed stone dividing wall. A cast-iron range cooker set against this wall completes the kitchen, which is equipped with all modern fixtures and fittings.
Below the mezzanine, a step provides access to a corridor serving a study and the sleeping area of the house: a bedroom, a separate lavatory and a shower room with toilet. The floor is carpeted, with the exception of the tiled bathrooms. The bedroom and the study each have a door to the garden, on the pool side to the north-west. A door from the study connects the barn to the house.
The house
Accessed from the south-east via a small enclosed garden, this house on two levels has a simple facade, symmetrically arranged around the main entrance door in the middle. On either side of the central axis, two double windows with shutters illuminate each level. The glazed double door is protected by a canopy with monk-and-nun tiles. The date of the construction of the house is carved on the stone lintel: 1839. Above, an oeil-de-bœuf window and the former dovecote, transformed into a square dormer window, punctuate the upstairs walls. The two windows on the first floor are also topped by an oeil-de-bœuf. The four-pitched roof is bordered by a single-row cornice in the classical southern France style.
The ground floor
The front door opens into a hallway. To the right, a sitting room features a 19th century black marble fireplace inlaid with white-veined pinkish-red Caunes-Minervois marble and finely chiselled and gilded decor. Windows on either side illuminate the dual-aspect room. Next follows a fitted kitchen with level access to the enclosed garden to the front of the house. It provides access to the barn. The rough-cut ceiling beams are exposed. The floors are tiled.
To the left of the hallway, a corridor leads to a bedroom and a shower room with toilet and flooring of light grey tiles.
The first floor
A half-turn wooden staircase leads to the first floor. The landing serves a bedroom and a lavatory on the left and a second bedroom and shower room with toilet on the right. The two carpeted sleeping rooms enjoy a double exposure.
The guest house
Slightly set back, this dwelling is accessed from the side via a door with a canopy of monk-and-nun tiles, as is the main one-pitch roof. On one of the long sides, a tiled terrace, slightly above the garden, is sheltered by a sloping roof resting on wooden pillars.
The ground floor
This full-width level features a living room where the walls, ceiling, exposed beams and pillars with struts are painted white. There are a sitting area, a fitted kitchen, a lavatory and a shower room. The floor is tiled. Two glass doors on either side of the room provide level access to the outdoors.
The first floor
A wooden staircase painted white leads to the second floor. There are three carpeted bedrooms under sloping ceilings with exposed beams, similar to the ground floor, a tiled shower room with toilet and a small storage area. Each of the bedrooms enjoys stunning views over the garden.
The grounds
The grounds include around 4 hectares of meadows and 7 hectares of woodlands and oak groves, as well as orchards planted with cherry, pear, peach, plum and apple trees. The garden surrounding the house is meticulously tended. This particularly lush area features large trees of various species: immense mulberry trees, lime trees or weeping willows, bamboo and dozens of shrubs, as well as a variety of flowers, planted to add variegated colours to the garden all year round.
On the side of the barn, a garden enclosed by wooden fences is partly cultivated as a vegetable plot. The nearby 10.5 x 5.5 m swimming pool is used by the inhabitants of all three houses. Oval in shape, it is bordered by stone terraces and, on the other side of the safety fence by low or tiered flowerbeds.
Our opinion
In keeping with the surrounding Quercy region, this property offers an ideal setting for appreciating the combination of unspoilt nature, flavoursome gastronomy and a preserved architectural heritage. Protected by extensive grounds, the three houses can be lived in by a large family keen to offer independence and autonomy to its members or used as gîtes for holiday lettings, for all or part of the property. Their restoration has brought an aesthetic consistency to these buildings, combining the simple architecture typical of the region with the beauty of the white stone.
The size and diversity of the grounds, with their meadows, orchards and woods, also provide scope for broader initiatives, including livestock rearing, farming, horse-riding and tourism.
895 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 497636
| Land registry surface area | 13 ha 66 a 42 ca |
| Main building surface area | 415 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 7 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 26 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.
