A medieval, 15th-century, half-timbered house,
in south Burgundy, not far from the abbeys at Cluny and Tournus
in south Burgundy, not far from the abbeys at Cluny and Tournus
Saint-Gengoux-le-National,
SAONE-ET-LOIRE
burgundy
71460
FR
Location
The regional capitals of Lyon and Dijon can be reached in less than 1 hour 30 minutes by the A6 motorway, while Geneva is 2 hours 15 minutes away. High speed TGV trains can be caught from two stations 30 minutes away, from where Paris can be reached in 1 hour 20 minutes. The house is located in a medieval village with widely renowned character and all the shops and amenities (supermarket, bakeries, cafés, schools, banks, etc.) can be reached on foot. The village is surrounded by vineyards, meadows and hills that are very conducive to rambles and hikes. It is not far from the Côte Chalonnaise winemaking area as well as the Macon vineyards and is situated on a circuit of Roman remains. Similarly, the village boasts a 12th-century church that is a listed historical monument and toward which the house enjoys a special view.
Description
All the building has been fully renovated under the supervision of an architect specialised in heritage and under the control of heritage agency Bâtiments de France. Such was the quality of the work carried out that it received a French heritage label from the Fondation du Patrimoine agency. Furthermore, during this work, it was possible to confirm the origins of the building as being from the first quarter of the 15th century (1407-1427) thanks to a dendrochronological study. In respect for the past, no visibly anachronistic materials were used in the renovation and the building is made up of wood, stone, earth and glass.
The house
The two-storey property, with a cellar and converted attic, is discretely located between narrow streets. It has two entrances, with one to the east and the other to the west. The eastern façade is sober, made up of a main entrance door and two windows with lintels in the form of accolades on the first floor. The western façade is more elaborate, on which several stone steps lead to a door into the ground floor, into which light pours through a window with a wooden lattice. The first floor boasts a half-timbered, corbelled overhang, supported by two stone corbels. The entire roof is made of recently installed flat tiles.
The street-level floor
At street level, an independent room paved with Burgundy stone tiles and boasting a fireplace could be converted. After this room, there is a cellar with an alcove housing the gas boiler and water heater.
The ground floor
A stone staircase followed by several old wooden steps lead to a dual aspect lounge that could also be used as a workshop or library on the slightly raised ground floor. It has wood stripped flooring, is bathed in light through a large window with wooden lattice and boasts the remains of a former medieval fireplace. There is a lavatory and a sink on this level also.
The first floor
This level can be reached by a wooden staircase and houses the living rooms of which a U-shaped kitchen is the hub. A dining area boasting an opening with window seats stands opposite a mullion window. Three skylights next to each other allow a remarkable amount of light to stream into the entire house. On this level, the flooring is made up of period terracotta tiles throughout.
The second floor
The attic level is entirely devoted to resting and there is oakwood flooring throughout. A bathroom opens out onto the landing and is topped by a mezzanine. The eastern bedroom enjoys the morning sunshine and boasts a view of the village church. There is also a separate lavatory.
Our opinion
As a holiday home or as the residence for a solitary or artistic soul, it is rare to find a medieval house that is so comfortable to live in in the 21st century. In keeping with the edifice’s original spirit, rooms are instead referred to as spaces. The quality of the renovation and materials used will not fail to delight purists. The surrounding rural landscape provides the backdrop for this human-scale home that is easy to upkeep. Here, time has passed, is passing and will pass unconditionally.
Reference 834217
| Land registry surface area | 48 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 107 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 1 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 30 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.
