A residence overlooking the River Loire, with a gallery and outbuilding,
in the footsteps of the abbesses and Dukes of Anjou
in the footsteps of the abbesses and Dukes of Anjou
Saumur,
MAINE-ET-LOIRE
pays-de-loire
49400
FR
Location
This property is located on the banks of the River Loire, on a hillside, in a picturesque village in the southeast reaches of the Pays de la Loire region and in the Maine-et-Loire area. The landscapes of the Loire-Anjou-Touraine regional natural park can be found all around, which combines the river and its islands, the tuffeau stone cliffs and their troglodyte caves, plus vineyards and the lifestyle that goes with them. Travelling through the region is akin to journeying through France’s history and that of its most illustrious figures. The village is 10 minutes from Saumur, where shops and services can be found. Saumur also has a railway station, with TER regional trains every hour to Angers and Tours as well as high-speed TGV trains to Paris. Lastly, the A85 motorway is only several minutes away by car.
Description
A side street runs alongside the river, in front of the house’s gable end, leading to its entrance gate, which opens into a walled courtyard. Opposite the gate, the L-shaped residence is made up of two wings. This edifice built with tuffeau stone dates back to the 12th century, is an emblematic element of the region’s history and was originally the home of an abbess. It was requisitioned by the republic after the French Revolution and was used as a coaching inn.
The building has four storeys, including an attic under the sloping roof. The recently renovated slate roof is dotted with stone dormer windows with arched pediments, echoing the rounded door frames on the ground floor. A geometrically patterned frieze runs along the façade facing the street.
A sundial can still be made out on the western gable end, while a second can also be spotted next to the gallery, which dominates the outer wall parallel to the River Loire, providing, whatever the season, an unbeatable view of the river and its islands, which are graced by the ballet of migrating birds. The residence can also be reached via another side street to the rear of the house.
Lastly, the property also boasts a separate garden with a small house in it, a short distance away on the hillside.
The building has four storeys, including an attic under the sloping roof. The recently renovated slate roof is dotted with stone dormer windows with arched pediments, echoing the rounded door frames on the ground floor. A geometrically patterned frieze runs along the façade facing the street.
A sundial can still be made out on the western gable end, while a second can also be spotted next to the gallery, which dominates the outer wall parallel to the River Loire, providing, whatever the season, an unbeatable view of the river and its islands, which are graced by the ballet of migrating birds. The residence can also be reached via another side street to the rear of the house.
Lastly, the property also boasts a separate garden with a small house in it, a short distance away on the hillside.
The residence
The ground floor
The entrance opens into a hall paved with terracotta tiles, in a Versailles inspired chessboard pattern. One of the wings is reserved for utility rooms, with a laundry room, a vast 35-m² garage and a similarly sized boiler room standing next to each other. A troglodyte tunnel, which today is hidden behind a double-leaf, sculpted wooden door, can be reached from the hall and leads down under the hillside. The other wing of the residence is made up of a former kitchen with two massive fireplaces, a stone sink and a bread oven. Today, it boasts wood stripped flooring plus exposed beams and joists and is used as a living room. Lastly, next to this room, there is a modern, tiled and fitted kitchen, with a ceiling height of more than 3 metres.
The first floor
This level can be reached by a wooden, half-turn staircase in the hall and a glass elevator was also installed in 2018. This level occupies both wings. The north wing is used for receptions, with a lounge boasting a surface of more than 55 m², oriented towards the River Loire as well as two sober, massive tuffeau stone fireplaces. The floor is paved with terracotta tiles and, as in the rest of this storey, there are exposed beams and joists. A stone sink stands next to large windows. As for the south wing, it contains an approximately 20-m² recently renovated bathroom with a shower and lavatory, as well as two bedrooms next to each other looking out over the Loire, each with wood stripped flooring and a tuffeau fireplace in one of them.
The second floor
This level can also be reached by either the wooden staircase or the elevator. To the rear of the property, it opens out onto the side street running along the slope. It houses a modern apartment with a surface of almost 70 m² that could be entirely independent. It contains a living room, kitchen, shower room and a bedroom, which also boasts a view of the River Loire. It is followed by a 60-m² space made up of three adjoining rooms awaiting conversion, with a north-south aspect, a fireplace and a separate entrance if required.
The attic
This level boasts an exposed roof frame in good condition and remains to be converted.
The gallery overlooking the River Loire
With its iconic, pointed, wooden arches, it stands atop the outer wall, overlooking the River Loire and runs up to the nearby crossroads. The gabled slate roof has been entirely renovated and the gallery can be reached via a small stone staircase from the courtyard.
The small troglodyte dwelling and its garden
A short distance from the residence, there is a 1,000-m² grass plot on the hillside. It can be reached via a tunnel in the rock and looks towards the countryside rather than the river. It plays host to a two-storey house dating from the 1950s that requires renovation.
Our opinion
This property along the waterside, overlooking the great river and its wild islands, is emblematic of the Loire Valley’s history, which is now listed as UNESCO world heritage. The renovated residence with its elegant, covered gallery gently hugs the gradient of the slopes, forming a veritable and unbeatable panoramic viewpoint over the local wildlife and vegetation. Behind the delicate tuffeau façades, there is a vast and bright interior, whose volume is magnified by the large windows and the remarkably well conserved decorative features. The property also boasts other assets, such as an elevator, a separate apartment and a small house to be renovated, close to intriguing troglodyte cavities hidden by the vegetation. The location’s uniqueness made up of stone and greenery has endured through the ages.
Reference 298671
| Land registry surface area | 1698 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 281 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 3 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 20 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.
