A Basque villa In the Val-d’Oise area, near to Enghien-les-Bains,
with a swimming pool, converted outbuildings and a more than 3,000-m² garden
with a swimming pool, converted outbuildings and a more than 3,000-m² garden
Montmorency,
VAL-D'OISE
paris
95160
FR
Location
As early as the 18th century, illustrious writers feted Montmorency Valley, such as Baron Grimm, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Amédée Achard - who wrote in Les Environs de Paris (the surroundings of Paris) that it “will always be the most charming valley in the world - or Abel Hugo, who nicknamed it ‘the garden of Paris’. In the 21st century, it boasts zones of outstanding ecological interest and a considerable amount of preserved natural heritage. The town, which is situated at the gateway to the lush, green valley, has retained a residential character. The villa is located a short walk from Montmorency town centre and less than 10 minutes by car from Enghien-les-Bains. It is well linked to the different public transport networks, is 13 km north of Paris and 21 km from Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport. There are several railway stations nearby, serving the Transilien network and RER C line, allowing Paris to be reached in 15 minutes. The town also boasts a large number of public and private schools.
Description
This Basque inspired villa, a type of home that is more generally found on the coast or in the countryside of the very southwestern-most tip of France, has nonetheless been built in the Paris region, in the centre of Montmorency. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century by architect Henri Moreels. After passing through the gate and looking upwards, visitors’ gazes fall on a house that stands out thanks to its different architecture combining Basque Country tradition with modernness.
The red painted, half-timbered framing contrasts with the light-coloured elevations and stones on the lower part of the building. The gabled roof made of tiles boasts protruding asymmetrical overhanging eaves. The façade is punctuated by balconies and balustrades, as well as wooden shutters on the small paned windows. All the exterior wood framing is painted in Flamboyant Basque red. A large lane from the street leads to the house and its enclosed garden. Set back slightly to the right, there is a first garage. Following this, a large drive cuts through the lawn, between the trees and flowering shrubs, from which it is possible to stop and pick supplies from the vegetable garden, stroll through the greenhouse or work in a cleverly designed Nordic-style hut hidden away in the greenery. Two renovated outbuildings converted into living spaces, a three-car capacity second garage and a small swimming pool with a counter-current swimming system add to the warm and friendly atmosphere of the place.
The red painted, half-timbered framing contrasts with the light-coloured elevations and stones on the lower part of the building. The gabled roof made of tiles boasts protruding asymmetrical overhanging eaves. The façade is punctuated by balconies and balustrades, as well as wooden shutters on the small paned windows. All the exterior wood framing is painted in Flamboyant Basque red. A large lane from the street leads to the house and its enclosed garden. Set back slightly to the right, there is a first garage. Following this, a large drive cuts through the lawn, between the trees and flowering shrubs, from which it is possible to stop and pick supplies from the vegetable garden, stroll through the greenhouse or work in a cleverly designed Nordic-style hut hidden away in the greenery. Two renovated outbuildings converted into living spaces, a three-car capacity second garage and a small swimming pool with a counter-current swimming system add to the warm and friendly atmosphere of the place.
The Basque villa
Such homes are a staple of Basque Country architecture, but it is rare to find such a specimen in the Paris region. It was built in the 1930s on a 3,000-m² plot of land tucked away from prying eyes. A stone sleeper wall rises up to the first floor. In a fashion typical of the style’s region of origin, this is topped by a façade of whitewashed walls of which the half-timbering is painted in the archetypal Basque red hue. The house, which boasts almost 214 m² of living space, and the converted outbuildings, which measure approximately 33 m² and 50 m² respectively, have been smartly and harmoniously designed. A quest for authenticity and the noble materials used makes this place as comfortable as it is unique. Large French windows bathe the house in light throughout the day and allow occupants to gaze out onto the garden. Indeed, the house is in osmosis with nature and the landscape is visible in all directions through the windows dotted along the façades. These façades were professionally renovated in 2022 and the all the roof tiles were entirely cleaned at the same time.
The ground floor
At the top of a stoop, the arched, double-leaf entrance door opens into a spacious entrance hall, which is tiled with a trompe-l’oeil checked pattern, whose colours and design electrify the atmosphere. It leads to a dual-aspect reception room, a television room with stained-glass windows, as well as a guests’ lavatory and a cupboard. Following a dining area with a sink and cupboards, the customised kitchen that was installed in the 1950s is characteristic of this era’s trends, particularly renewed modernism, a movement in which kitchens became decorative and innovative in addition to being practical. It is the beating heart of the house. All its features have been preserved as they were to begin with and remain in very good condition. Next to the kitchen, there is a second entrance door, which leads to a staircase down to the cellars as well as a short flight of steps up to the entrance hall, in which a large oakwood staircase climbs up to the bedrooms. With small-paned windows, 1930s herringbone wood flooring and period handles on the doors, this level boasts sophisticated finishes and 20th-century decorative features.
The first floor
The large landing is bathed in light, through the windows looking onto the staircase, and leads to four large bedrooms. They are also flooded with light, have wood stripped flooring and look out onto the garden. On one side, the master bedroom boasts plenty of wardrobe space and a shower room with an interior window. On the other side, there are three other bedrooms, two of which have balconies and one of which has a terrace with flower boxes serving as guard-rails. A bathroom and an additional shower room occupy the rest of this storey.
The second floor
The upper storey is occupied by a fifth bedroom with exposed roof framing, two windows, wood stripped flooring, a shower room in need of renovation and two loft spaces.
The basement
The basement is split into several successive spaces, including a workshop, storage room, boiler room and laundry room, in which a period washtub enjoys pride of place. A wine cellar acts as a small, temperate sanctuary, preserving and protecting the bottles from the vagaries of time.
The garden
The entirely walled garden spreads over more than 3,000 m² and can be entered via three different points. It boasts a wide range of trees as well as shrubs and is organised into different spaces, allowing everyone to find a time and place for relaxation and calm: a vegetable garden for the keen gardener; a greenhouse for cultivating cuttings; a Nordic inspired hut for working, doing yoga, meditating, reading or simply observing nature; a covered swimming pool for relaxing; and shaded areas for outside dining in summer.
The kitchen garden
It is well organised and can provide culinary specialists with freshly picked herbs, aromatic plants and seasonal vegetables. Orange and lemon trees fill the greenhouse with their fragrances.
The outbuildings
The two outbuildings, situated one after the other, are entirely separate from one another and the main house. They both have private entrances. The first was formerly a hen coop and rabbit hutches and has been transformed into an apartment/workshop. It has a living surface of approximately 33 m², a painted façade in the same Basque red as the half-timbering of the main house, a small garden and a patio. The entrance opens directly into the living room, which boasts exposed roof framing. It is bathed in light thanks to the customised, protected workshop windows, which enhance its industrial style and provide a subtle touch. It boasts a polished concrete floor. A fitted kitchen, a mezzanine and a large shower room complete this outbuilding. It could be used as guests’ accommodation, rented out as a studio apartment, or could serve as an office for freelancer: the possibilities are almost endless. The second outbuilding, with wooden facing made up of horizontal planks on its façades and interior rendering in the same red as its neighbour, is embellished by a lush garden. It boasts approximately 50 m² of living space. There are entrances into the lounge and the kitchen, which has a floor paved with cement tiles, as well as a pantry and cupboards. The almost 16-m² lounge stands next to the kitchen, as does a shower room with a walk-in shower, a lavatory and another cupboard. On the top floor, there is a large landing and a bedroom, both of which have skylights. Many details, such as the windows, their handles, the doorknobs and flooring, pay witness to the taste and attention that went into the renovation. As with the other outbuilding, it could be a source of extra revenue if rented to a tenant.
Our opinion
This villa surrounded with greenery and flowers is seamlessly integrated into the surrounding landscape and ideally located in the town centre. Its architecture combines originality with many older, more traditional decorative features, which, thanks to their perfect condition, contribute to the property’s stately elegance. Thanks to its balanced composition made up of a well-designed layout and a garden that is an invitation for al fresco Sunday dining, it exudes a provincial character blended with a touch of simplicity. The venue is an ode to the Basque lifestyle and promises to reserve pleasant moments for its future occupiers, with family or friends, in a countryside ambiance in one of the most well appreciated towns in the Val d’Oise area.
Reference 239981
| Land registry surface area | 3092 m2 |
| Total floor area | 298 m2 |
| Number of rooms | 8 |
| Ceiling height | 3 |
| Number of bedrooms | 5 |
| Surface Garage 1 | 35 m2 |
| Surface Garage 2 | 25 m2 |
| Piscine |
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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.
