A house with two extra dwellings and a 2,000m² garden
in the beautiful Pays d'Auge province of Normandy
in the beautiful Pays d'Auge province of Normandy
,
ORNE
lower-normandy
FR
Location
The village is nestled in the valley of the River Touques in the Pays d’Auge province of Normandy, France. It lies in the country’s Orne department, five minutes from the town of Vimoutiers. The Montormel Memorial about the Second World War is nearby, built on a hillside where it looks out over the Chambois plain. Chateaux dot the local area, as do stud farms, the most famous one of which is the Haras national du Pin.
Schools and essential shops are not far away. From Lisieux train station, 25 minutes away, you can get to Paris in 1 hour and 40 minutes by rail. There is also an 18-hole golf course 30 minutes from the property in a protected natural area.
Description
The property stands near a secondary road and looks out at the village church. The old prior’s dwelling in this village dates back to the 14th century and is listed as a historical monument. To one side of the main house, which stands on a small road, broad steps lead down to the grounds, which are enclosed with tall trees. At the bottom of the slope stands a long rural building that has been converted into a bed-and-breakfast house. A square vegetable patch forms a natural partition. On either side of it, vast lawns invite you to unwind. Another house stands at the end of the long building.
The buildings are rectangular. The main house has three floors and the other structures have two floors. The buildings are made of either brick or stone with walls that are either rendered or left exposed. Some windows are rectangular and others are slightly arched. The windows are of different shapes and sizes. The main house and the long building have hipped slate roofs are the guesthouse has a gabled slate roof. All the edifices are surrounded by luxuriant vegetation.
The grounds are like a maze. They are dotted with groves and lead down over terraces to a pond. Further on, the River Touques flows. This river is renowned as a good place for fly fishing. Sea trout swim upstream in it.
The buildings are rectangular. The main house has three floors and the other structures have two floors. The buildings are made of either brick or stone with walls that are either rendered or left exposed. Some windows are rectangular and others are slightly arched. The windows are of different shapes and sizes. The main house and the long building have hipped slate roofs are the guesthouse has a gabled slate roof. All the edifices are surrounded by luxuriant vegetation.
The grounds are like a maze. They are dotted with groves and lead down over terraces to a pond. Further on, the River Touques flows. This river is renowned as a good place for fly fishing. Sea trout swim upstream in it.
The 19th-century house
The house dating back to the 19th century offers a floor area of around 200m². It is made of bricks of two different colours. It has three floors. The top floor is a loft space. Two stringcourses demarcate the different levels and a notched cornice underlines its roof. The house has a hip roof that features a gabled dormer with a wooden frame. Two chimney stacks rise up from this roof. On the street side, the facade is neatly punctuated with windows fitted with wooden shutters. A brick stringcourse marks each floor on all sides of the house, including the garden-facing elevation. Dressed keystones support the lintels.
The garden level
A tiled kitchen and a pantry offer a floor area of over 25m². Two windows fill them with natural light. Tree-like wisteria grows above a glazed door, which takes you out to a herb garden. A quarter-turn staircase of timber and wrought iron connects to all the floors. It ends in a spiral that takes you to the kitchen. There is an adjoining boiler room.
The ground floor
From the entrance, you step into a dual-aspect double lounge with a tiled floor. A large stone fireplace supported by an oak beam stands against one wall. Beyond this lounge lies a vast living room. A secondary kitchen adjoins this space and looks out at the road.
The first floor
The staircase of timber and wrought iron leads to a landing that connects to three bright, spacious bedrooms, a bathroom, two shower rooms and a lavatory. Wood strip flooring extends across this level.
The top floor
This top floor is a vast loft space that could be converted. It contains three rooms. The roof framework is exposed and it has a hardwood floor. The volume beneath the roof is roomy. The loft is a dual-aspect space.
The long rural building
The long rural building stands at the bottom of the outdoor steps. It is made of brick and offers a floor area of around 150m². A paved terrace lies in front of it and a timber conservatory adjoins it. Its roof is punctuated with several hipped dormers. This roof features a typically Norman queue de geai overhang that stretches over a balcony to form a canopy. From the entrance, you step into a kitchen and a utility room. There is also a living room that you can reach via the conservatory. The first floor has two bedrooms and a bathroom. One of these bedrooms leads out onto a balcony with a floor area of 5m².
In line with the main part of this long building, there is an adjoining half-timbered cottage. A door painted red leads into it. The cottage’s ground floor, which offers a floor area of around 50m², is taken up by a bedroom and a lounge with a kitchen area. Tomette tiles adorn the floor. A wood-burning stove has been placed in a fireplace. Exposed beams run across the ceiling. Two oak doors close a cupboard built into a stone wall. A timber staircase takes you to two bedrooms and a bathroom. A back door leads out onto a terrace and a paved play area.
The blue guesthouse
A blue guesthouse enjoys privacy behind a cluster of trees. It stands to the side of the long building. A terrace of timber decking extends in front of it. This little guesthouse has two floors, rendered walls and a gable roof. Its red-tiled kitchen has exposed beams that are painted white. A corridor connects to a bathroom and a lounge with walls of exposed timber framing. A bedroom with a fireplace leads out to the garden. A timber staircase takes you to an office and a bedroom. On one side, you reach a loft space that could be converted.
The garden, pond and vegetable patch
There is a square vegetable patch that has been cultivated following the principles of sustainable horticulture. It includes many herbs and medicinal plants. The seed plots have been deliberately positioned in line with the sun’s path.
The grounds are dotted with willows, lilacs, elms, lindens, oaks, birches, peonies, lavender, rose bushes, wisteria and hydrangeas. Many outbuildings around the grounds can be used to tidy away gardening tools. Aquatic plants grow around a frog pond.
Our opinion
The famous French botanist, gardener and writer Gilles Clément once said that ‘to garden is to resist’. This quotation is embodied in these lush grounds where permaculture has been practised for over 20 years. The charming, cosy property enjoys privacy in its maze of greenery at the edge of a quaint village in France’s Pays d’Auge province. The main dwelling has a remarkable shape. It hides an inviting, rustic interior that showcases local materials. Outhouses offer comfortable accommodation for guests who come to immerse themselves in this enchanting world where you can smell the fragrance of wisteria and admire the vivid blooms of hydrangeas. Here, countless colours paint a delightful haven.
772 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 198559
| Land registry surface area | 2143 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 200 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 10 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 200 m2 |
| including refurbished area | 400 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.
