A former hydroelectric mill and more than 6,500 m² of wooded grounds,
10 minutes from the Côte d'Albâtre and 2 hours from La Défense, in Normandy
10 minutes from the Côte d'Albâtre and 2 hours from La Défense, in Normandy
Dieppe,
SEINE-MARITIME
upper-normandy
76200
FR
Location
On the northern edge of the Seine-Maritime department, in an area that is both rural and coastal, the property is 10 minutes from the beaches in the lush green valley of the river Scie. The 37km-long river is one of nine coastal rivers in the Pays de Caux, which had as many as 43 mills in the 19th century. Built as early as the Middle Ages, many of them were used to grind cereals, but also for industrial purposes. Situated in the Dieppe urban area, the property also has local shops and services nearby, at just a 5-minute drive away in a town full of character nicknamed La Coquette. The train station, which isjust 3 minutes away, has trains going to Paris via Rouen in less than 3 hours. The capital can be reached by motorway in 2 hours, Brussels in less than 4 hours and Newhaven in under 5 hours.
Description
Set back from the village, a winding road leads to a long driveway lined with majestic lime trees. It leads to the imposing dwelling, built of brick and flint and flanked at its centre by a canted staircase tower. The slate roof features roof windows and dormer windows. The oblong outbuildings are set at right angles to each other and separated by a grassed area. The wooded grounds lie to the rear of the mill. They face south and run alongside the alder-lined river.
The old mill
Typical of traditional Norman housing, the gable roof ends above the gables in a projection known as a "jay’s tail" or "calf's snout” in French. The more imposing hipped section has the gable that is most exposed to the elements. To the east, a terrace borders the river and the mill. The mill is rectangular and built out of brick and flint. Plastered and covered in Virginia creeper on the ground floor, with double-leaf windows protected by transom louvres, the facades are enhanced by brick modillions that make them watertight by diverting rainwater. All of the ornamental elements - quoins, floor bands, sawtooth cornice and lintels - echo the chimney stacks and the imposing stair tower.
The ground floor
A flight of three stone steps runs the length of the tower, leading up to the wooden entrance door with its glazed fanlight. It is also possible to enter the house via several French windows on either side of the long facades. The main entrance opens onto a vast hallway covered with cabochon tiles and the start of a wooden staircase with a wrought-iron banister. A French window opens onto the back garden. On one side, a bright lounge receives light from two windows and a double French window provides access to a riverside terrace. The floor has straight parquet flooring, there are cornices on the ceiling and cupboards are built into the walls on either side of the marble and tiled fireplace. Following on in a line on the other side is a dining room with a French-style ceiling, herringbone parquet flooring and wainscoting. This is followed by a utility room with a second access to the south garden and a back stairway, and, in the west, a kitchen with a floor covered in terracotta tiles.
The first floor
The double quarter-turn staircase leads to the first and second floors. A long corridor with double windows leads to four bedrooms, two of which are en suite, the back staircase and a south-west-facing study, as well as a shower room and a separate toilet. The master bedroom has its own en suite shower room and toilet, and a balcony with views over the river Scie. The floors on this floor are all straight parquet. The many double-leaf windows let in plenty of light.
The attic
The top floor, under the sloping roof, is separated in the middle by a bathroom and a separate toilet. In the west wing, the back stairway leads to a hallway leading to three rooms, two of which are quite modest in size and a third which is a bedroom. To the east, the staircase tower leads to a corridor that opens onto two bedrooms with dormer windows. Finally, the entire floor is covered in wood.
The outbuildings
Situated on the edge of the plot at right angles to the mill and facing the garden, they form a group of three adjoining buildings built of half-timbering and unbaked clay. The tiled roof is enhanced by three dormer windows. In the centre, two double wooden garage doors provide storage for wood, equipment and maintenance vehicles.
The garden and river
The garden is laid out around the residence in vast lawns planted with trees and a wide variety of shrubs: quince, cedar, birch and lime trees share the space with magnolia, dogwood, meadowsweets and mock oranges. The south-facing terrace, paved with rubble stone, is planted with roses and hydrangeas. A former kitchen garden, bordered on the ground by a brick frame that once supported a glass greenhouse, backs onto an old polygonal garden shed with a gable roof. Finally, the nearby river, bordered by a line of alders on its left bank, marks the property boundary.
Our opinion
A range of landscapes between the sea and the countryside, between the Sâane and the Scie rivers, along waterways or footpaths and cycle paths leading to Pourville-sur-Mer. All in all, it is Normandy concentrated, with fords and panoramic views from the plateaux. This is the environment the old mill stands in, a witness to the early days of industry and electricity, without any paddlewheels. It is a typical property that has managed to maintain its uniqueness and its harmony with the natural environment thanks to its mastery of the small river. Each brightly-lit room offers a new perspective of the surrounding wooded grounds. Finally, thanks to the creation of flood expansion zones, which regulate the flow of water and protect against flooding, the residents of the mill, which is no longer in use, will be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the water at their feet
Reference 697115
| Land registry surface area | 6522 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 311 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 8 |
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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.
