In the heart of the Landes massif, on the edge of a small village, a large, air-conditioned house
and its sheep barn, entirely restored and surrounded by a Gascon garden of more than 2 ha
and its sheep barn, entirely restored and surrounded by a Gascon garden of more than 2 ha
Casteljaloux,
LANDES
aquitaine
47700
FR
Location
In the Landes department, less than 100 km from the Atlantic Ocean. The nearest airports are approximately 90 km away (Pau-Pyrénées), 170 km (Toulouse-Blagnac) or 130 km (Bordeaux-Mérignac) and the A 65 motorway is only 15 km from the property.
Divided between the pine forests of the Landes de Gascogne (Gascony Moors) to the south and the cultivated hillsides of the Queyran to the north, the town of Casteljaloux, 30 km away, is well known for its thermal baths and boasts an eighteen-hole golf course, a casino and a spa centre.
Description
On the edge of a small village nestled in a pine forest, a moorland track leads to a small hamlet of several houses, which were built at a reasonable distance from each other so as to avoid both disturbance and isolation.
Shortly before the end of the road, the property appears behind an automatic gate; a large, perfectly maintained airial (Gascon garden with trees) is revealed, which includes an old Landes farm, a sheep barn and a small outbuilding housing a workshop and a carport.
Shortly before the end of the road, the property appears behind an automatic gate; a large, perfectly maintained airial (Gascon garden with trees) is revealed, which includes an old Landes farm, a sheep barn and a small outbuilding housing a workshop and a carport.
The main house
Most probably built at the end of the 18th century and judiciously enlarged at the end of the 19th century, this former Landes farmhouse has recently been faithfully restored and sympathetically updated by the current owners. Large glass doors and an extensive east-facing portico give it a Louisiana feel, emphasised by the white walls and light grey painted half-timbering. A single-storey extension, at right angle to the main building, stands out from the two-storey building on its northern façade, adding to the slight asymmetry that sets the building apart. To the south and east, this harmonious break in symmetry is produced by the portico, which provides a comfortable, partially shaded and tiled terrace area.
The roof of the main building, with two long pitches and a half-hipped roof to the west, is clad with monk and nun tiles and has two shed dormers to the north and south; the roof of the smaller building has asymmetric pitches.
The main house and the former sheep barn are surrounded by a park with a large variety of species and not far from a large heated swimming pool with tiled sides.
The ground floor
The ground level can be accessed via the portico, which opens directly onto the large and bright sitting room, via the kitchen, or, more conventionally, via the main entrance. The ground floor layout allows easy and free circulation. Entirely bathed in light, it does not suffer at all from the summer heat, benefiting from a reversible air-conditioning system covering the whole house.
In the sitting room, the exposed beams and joists are painted white; the light-coloured tiles give the room a holiday feel. A dining area has been created near an open, fully equipped kitchen, with a scullery for the preparation of preserves in its extension. Beyond the sitting room, to the north, an entrance hall provides access to a staircase leading to the first floor, as well as a study, a bathroom with shower and toilet, and a bedroom with cupboards and large windows.
The first floor
The small staircase leads to a landing which serves four bedrooms with slightly sloping ceilings and lit by shed dormers. One of them features an adjoining wardrobe and a balcony facing east under the portico, overlooking the pool and the park. Follow, at right angles to the landing, a bathroom with shower and separate toilet. The rooms are as bright as on the ground floor, the flooring is modern parquet and the ceilings have white painted beams and joists.
The smaller lodging
Formerly used to house sheep, the second building, rectangular in plan and single storey, has found a suitable purpose: completely renovated and comfortable, the old sheep barn is currently for rent and is situated at the end of the airial, a location that ensures valuable peace and independence.
The long sheep barn is open to the east to protect it from the heat, as is customary in this region, and offers a view through large sliding doors onto a small terrace that runs along most of the façade. The layout of the rooms is simple: to the south, a kitchen with a central island and open onto a very bright living room; then, in the extension of the latter, a corridor serves to the north two bedrooms of equal size, a shower room with double washbasin and a separate toilet.
Everything has been refurbished to a high standard and quality; the floors are all engineered parquet, the ceilings with exposed beams and joists are painted white. Recently, the steeply pitched, tiled roof has been extended to the south to cover a fully equipped summer kitchen enjoying a pleasant breeze on summer evenings.
The airial and its outbuildings
The airial, which extends over a little more than 2 ha, is entirely fenced in and shaded by different types of trees. The centuries-old oaks and a few pines stand alongside a remarkable diversity of plants: lilacs, cotoneasters, forsythias, dwarf bamboos, honeysuckles and abelias; oleander and photinia hedges; beds of rhododendrons, camellias and hydrangeas of all colours, all of which have been designed, planted and maintained with care by the current owners. Finally, water for irrigation is abundant as two underground tanks of 4,000 l each collect rainwater.
Set back from the houses, a well-designed and generous vegetable garden embellishes and completes this rural environment.
A small adjacent wood provides a refuge for deer and, in the autumn season, a harvest of ceps and chanterelles for mushroom amateurs.
Our opinion
A dream location for those who are seeking absolute peace and quiet, already enjoyed to this day by many visiting guests and of course by its owner-occupiers. The complex is particularly peaceful and bright, enhanced by a tasteful and high quality renovation.
Both homes offer modern comfort, combining practical and aesthetic features with respect for privacy. Outdoors, the swimming pool connects the two houses in an atmosphere of simple and friendly hospitality, Gascon style! It will be easy to reconcile a family life with an existing professional activity or to keep this little corner dedicated to nature lovers for oneself, while welcoming friends, family or tenants in the former sheep barn. No work is required, except for the immense task of letting yourself live in this exceptional property.
670 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 540134
| Land registry surface area | 2 ha 32 a 37 ca |
| Main building surface area | 220 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 5 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 100 m2 |
| including refurbished area | 63 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.
