The River Urne is twenty-one kilometres long. Its source is between the towns of Saint-Careuc and Plaintel, in the Lorge forest, and it flows down to Yffiniac cove. This watermill was probably built in the sixteenth century, on the bank of this river in which brown trout swim. The building was gradually reduced to ruins over time. But from 1984 onwards, new owners rose to the challenge of restoring this forgotten edifice full of character: they sought to give the old mill’s soul and purpose back to it. The property is nestled in a valley. You reach it via a cul-de-sac: a small asphalt country lane. There are no neighbours nearby: the mill is surrounded by only woods and meadows.

The watermill

The dwelling is rectangular in shape. A gable slate roof caps it. Two wall dormers that are each crowned with a finial add relief to the roof. Its walls are made of granite rubble masonry. Dressed stone forms the window and door surrounds. Lime pointing brings out certain decorative features: an ogee lintel moulding above a window and a pointed-arch doorway. On the left, a small extension with a terrace offers a space where you can admire the valley, orchard and woods in absolute calm. On the rear face, a working waterwheel uses the energy of the River Urne: the river’s current is partly diverted towards the watermill via a millrace. Today, this hydraulic system produces around 4kWh of electricity and powers the home’s underfloor heating and some of its household appliances. Improvements could be made to optimise this system of production. The house also enjoys a supply of drinking water as it is connected to a spring. This water is analysed each year.

The ground floor
A glazed entrance door leads into a bright hallway. A mirror covers the entire face of a built-in cupboard in the wall, giving this area depth and height. On the left, there is a living room. Its six-metre-high cathedral ceiling make the space remarkably airy. A fireplace insert here is one of the home’s two heating methods. There are many windows that make this vast lounge a dual-aspect space. On one side of the fireplace, there is a fully fitted open-plan kitchen. On the other side of the fireplace, there is a space that serves as an office. Beyond, there is a scullery with a door that leads outside and a cellar where fresh produce from the vegetable patch can be stored. On the right side of the hallway, there a two doors. One leads to a lavatory. The other leads to a bathroom with a shower that connects to a bedroom looking out at the vegetable patch and the banks of the River Urne.

The first floor
A curving staircase made of sipo wood leads up to the first floor. This beautiful staircase was produced by a highly skilled craftsman who drew inspiration from the arum flower, many specimens of which adorn the garden outside. The balusters represent this flower with its slender stem and flared shape. The smooth, gleaming handrails end by winding around the posts at the bottom and the embellished spheres upon them. On the landing, a door leads into a bedroom. In this bedroom, a wooden spiral staircase climbs up to a mezzanine floor with a bed. Wooden panelling contrasts with the white walls. A shower room of bright tones with a lavatory connects to this bedroom and to another bedroom with the same layout. These two rooms lead to an extensive mezzanine-like space that gazes out at the garden through a huge picture window covering an entire gable end. There, French windows take you onto a terrace that faces south-southwest.