An impressive 19th-century family house and its outbuildings
set in 2.5 ha of enclosed grounds on the outskirts of Montpellier
set in 2.5 ha of enclosed grounds on the outskirts of Montpellier
Montpellier,
HERAULT
languedoc-roussillon
34000
FR
Location
In the eastern part of the Occitania and Hérault regions, less than 15 minutes north of Montpellier, in the highly sought-after Grand Pic Saint-Loup communauté de communes (federation of municipalities), the surprisingly large property is located in a village surrounded by a superb natural heritage.
Montpellier is the historic heart of the Languedoc region, famous for its Faculty of Medicine - the oldest in the world - founded in 1220. Today, it has become a metropolis of its time, open to contemporary cultural influences, science, new technologies and leisure activities.
With two TGV high-speed train stations and an international airport linking the town to the rest of Europe and the world, its rail and road networks make it one of the best-served regional capitals in the country.
Description
The mansion, referred to as a "maison de maître", an architectural term used since ancient times, was inhabited by the owner of the rural estate on which it was built. Dating back to the end of the 19th century and standing on the edge of the city but not far from its centre, the sober, unadorned residence exuded comfort and a promise of family happiness, while at the same time embodying the fulfilment of a new social dream: that of attaining the prosperity of the affluent "bourgeois" class.
From a track that runs through part of the village, a tall, wrought-iron double gate featuring cone-shaped spearhead finials framed by two stately stone pillars with geometric carvings and capitals surmounted by a vase bearing a globe, provides access to the property.
Directly opposite the entrance gate rises the main facade, with four generous openings on each level, topped by a four-pitched roof of monk-and-nun tiles. At the end of the rather steep slope on which the mansion is built, the outbuildings come into view: the caretaker's lodge which is still in use, an old shed and, forming a corner boundary, a dovecote with a conical stone roof.
The enclosed wooded grounds shelter the residence from the hustle and bustle of the city and feature an old horseshoe-shaped pool fed by a continuously running water fountain set back from the house, as well as a more recent swimming pool.
Today, the house bears ample evidence of the changes that have been made to alter its original configuration. But it has retained some noteworthy features, both inside and out: old-fashioned shutters and elaborate railings, original floors of grey Montpellier stone and terracotta quarry tiles, numerous marble fireplaces, sometimes with ornamental overmantels, and fixed stucco transoms above some of the doors.
From a track that runs through part of the village, a tall, wrought-iron double gate featuring cone-shaped spearhead finials framed by two stately stone pillars with geometric carvings and capitals surmounted by a vase bearing a globe, provides access to the property.
Directly opposite the entrance gate rises the main facade, with four generous openings on each level, topped by a four-pitched roof of monk-and-nun tiles. At the end of the rather steep slope on which the mansion is built, the outbuildings come into view: the caretaker's lodge which is still in use, an old shed and, forming a corner boundary, a dovecote with a conical stone roof.
The enclosed wooded grounds shelter the residence from the hustle and bustle of the city and feature an old horseshoe-shaped pool fed by a continuously running water fountain set back from the house, as well as a more recent swimming pool.
Today, the house bears ample evidence of the changes that have been made to alter its original configuration. But it has retained some noteworthy features, both inside and out: old-fashioned shutters and elaborate railings, original floors of grey Montpellier stone and terracotta quarry tiles, numerous marble fireplaces, sometimes with ornamental overmantels, and fixed stucco transoms above some of the doors.
The mansion
This is a fine example of the wealthy houses built during the golden age of this type of architecture in France, between 1850 and 1890, distinctive for its rectangular shape and large exposed corner quoins. Erected at the top of a hillside, the house rises to three storeys, and up to four on the northern side. The main facade features four wide openings with shutters and wrought iron railings on each level, with protecting small balconies on the piano nobile.
The east facade features a double flight of approach stairs with elaborate wrought-iron railings leading to a Napoleon III-style glazed porch which serves as a conservatory. This in turn features a balustrade with classical-style balusters, protecting a large balcony terrace.
The residence is extended to the south by a garden-level orangery. Now used as a storage area, it is topped by a stone balustrade concealing its monk-and-nun tile roof, an architectural trick not devoid of elegance. To the west, a further, somewhat simpler flight of steps, sheltered by an ornate metal canopy, provides access to the large internal staircase with its wrought iron balustrade, typical of the Provence style, which leads to a kitchen, a sitting room and a bedroom overlooking the perron-terrace.
This is now the main entrance.
Lastly, the house has undergone a number of changes since its origins, most recently in order to accommodate several families at once. This has led to a radical change in layout, and to the multiplication of some rooms, such as the kitchens.
The ground floor
Access to the rooms no longer follows the initial plan of the noble dwelling. Today, it is the service staircase that provides access to the different rooms, rather than the one in the conservatory.
The original dining and drawing rooms have been moved to the northern end and are now replaced by a bedroom and a sitting room, both of which open on to the conservatory. There is also a bathroom.
The walls are lined with wallpaper and some of the floors are laid with old, grey Montpellier stone tiles.
The first floor
The first floor, with its disparate layout, features a number of original Pyrenean marble fireplaces, carefully crafted wooden joinery and shutters, as well as beautiful floors laid with grey Montpellier stone tiles or old terracotta quarry tiles, covered in places with recent engineered wooden flooring. At the top of the staircase, there is the master bedroom, which opens onto the roof of the storage annexe with its intriguing classical-style balustrade. Accessed via the same passageway, a small sitting room and a dining room open onto the balcony/terrace above the conservatory offering a bird's eye view of the grounds, followed by another sitting room, a kitchen and a shower room.
The second floor
A corridor similar to that on the lower level leads to a modest-sized bedroom, a low-ceilinged linen room, two large bedrooms with windows opening onto the front of the house and curious floor-level windows facing the park, a new kitchen, a bathroom and a last bedroom.
The outbuildings
They include a lodge with a pyramid-shaped, four-pitched roof clad with monk-and-nun tiles, which was probably once used as stables and fodder barn. After a complete overhaul, half of the building now houses an architects' practice and the other half a caretaker's dwelling. This is a fairly modest, functional and attractive building, located in the courtyard to the rear of the mansion.
There is a closed stone hangar right next to it, with a gable roof of monk-and-nun tiles, while a dovecote with a conical stone roof inspired by ancient models closes off the rear courtyard, which has become a business entrance.
Finally, an exposed stone building houses several concrete fermentation vats, testimony to the village's wine-growing past.
The grounds
Spread over 2.5 hectares evenly surrounding the main house, their main feature is a maze of box topiaries meandering through a dense mixed woodland of coniferous and deciduous trees. Pines, centuries-old cedars, plane trees and hackberry trees lead visitors to an ancient horseshoe-shaped stone pool, fed by a side fountain, while at the other end of the grounds, there is a more modern swimming pool. In the mixed woodland, an astonishing sycamore grove has developed, forming a small copse of trees similar to those found in the Americas.
Our opinion
This is a sleepy residence in need of a revival. It is also a rare example of the very French "maisons de maître", the embodiment of a once glorious architectural style.
Although the interior alterations carried out in just over a century have upset the former balance of the residence, rediscovering the original equilibrium is just a matter of carrying out some renovation work, while enjoying total freedom in terms of the final configuration. The key objective is to design a new layout for a noble residence that combines hospitality and privacy, just a stone's throw from the city; and to preserve its unique patina, which is a model of discretion.
The grounds and the maze, richly planted with trees, will undoubtedly help to restore the property to its former glory, whatever its use, whether as a guest house or a family home within its estate, steeped in greenery and mystery.
Reference 384404
| Land registry surface area | 2 ha 55 a 80 ca |
| Main building surface area | 623 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 8 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 550 m2 |
| including refurbished area | 125 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.
