A longhouse with half-timbering in a half a hectare of garden,
15 km from the coast, in the Saâne Valley
15 km from the coast, in the Saâne Valley
Luneray,
SEINE-MARITIME
upper-normandy
76810
FR
Location
This property is located in the northern reaches of the Seine-Maritime area, in a both rural and coastal sector on the heights above the Saâne Valley, 20 minutes from the cliffs and beaches of the Côte d’Albatre coastline. The Saâne, which is one of nine coastal rivers in the Pays de Caux area, flows into the English Channel at Quiberville-sur-Mer. The property is situated 30 minutes from Dieppe. It is also near to essential shops and services, which can be found in a town full of character just five minutes away by car. The holiday resort of Valde-Saâne offers a wide array of walking trails and a variety of leisure activities.
The train station is 20 minutes away and Paris can be reached via Rouen in less than 3 hours. The outskirts of the French capital are 2 hours away by car while Brussels is 4 hours away and Newhaven can be reached by the ferry in 5 hours.
Description
From a minor road winding through the countryside from the Saâne Valley to the plateau where the village is located, a street heading towards the church and village hall leads to the property. A solid wood gate framed by two brick pillars opens to the left to the restored longhouse, which is well exposed to the sun. It has two storeys and a gabled slate sprocket roof, punctuated with two gable dormers. To the right, opposite the house, there is a half-timbered building awaiting restoration.
Perpendicular to it in the vast lawned and tree-filled garden measuring almost half a hectare, there is also an old bread oven adjacent to an annex building also awaiting restoration. From the garden, beyond its greenery, a rural panorama stretches out as far as the eye can see.
The property boasts all the typical characteristics of longhouses, which, in bygone days, were used as living quarters, working spaces and a shelter for livestock at the very tip of the building. This part of the edifice has been transformed into a cellar and a garage. In keeping with custom and common sense, since its beginnings, the house has been surrounded by greenery and its windows are south facing. The entrances are via the main façade. On the contrary, the other side of the building has very few openings and serves as a barrier to the cold.
Perpendicular to it in the vast lawned and tree-filled garden measuring almost half a hectare, there is also an old bread oven adjacent to an annex building also awaiting restoration. From the garden, beyond its greenery, a rural panorama stretches out as far as the eye can see.
The property boasts all the typical characteristics of longhouses, which, in bygone days, were used as living quarters, working spaces and a shelter for livestock at the very tip of the building. This part of the edifice has been transformed into a cellar and a garage. In keeping with custom and common sense, since its beginnings, the house has been surrounded by greenery and its windows are south facing. The entrances are via the main façade. On the contrary, the other side of the building has very few openings and serves as a barrier to the cold.
The longhouse
Its style can be recognised thanks to its long, rectangular form either side of its central ridge cap. The south facing façade, restored with modern materials, is rendered and decorated so as to imitate the original half-timbering. There are two entrances on this façade in addition to a large double-leaf door that opens into the garage and cellar. The two-storey edifice, in the living quarters, is topped by a gabled slate roof with sprocketing at the gutters and is punctuated by two gable dormer windows and a skylight. The half-timbered gable end boasts two French windows, bathing the interior in light.
The ground floor
There are two entrance doors on this level. One of them is topped with an awning and opens into the vast, almost 63-m² lounge, boasting a monumental fireplace with stone jambs, oak mantelpiece and a brick hood and hearth. The other solid wood panelled door, with a tall, narrow window to the side, opens into an entrance hall in the centre of the house, which leads, opposite a lavatory, to a double quarter-turn wooden staircase. On one side, there is a kitchen with beige coloured tiles in gentle harmony with the shade of the exposed beams on the ceiling. On the other side, a bedroom with straight wood stripped flooring boasts an en suite shower room. The walls are covered with ivory-hued rendering beneath exposed beams and joists. This level is generously bathed in light thanks to its many windows. The lounge alone boasts eight, including two French windows.
The upstairs
This level is divided into two independent sleeping areas, each with a separate staircase. The first, which is a double quarter-turn wooden staircase, climbs up to a vast bedroom in the attic level, with exposed beams painted in dark red and straight wood stripped flooring. Light streams into the room through a skylight and dormer window. Next to it, there is a child’s bedroom and a shower room with a lavatory. A wooden spiral staircase with an ironwork guard-rail, a veritable masterpiece of craftsmanship taking centre stage in the lounge, forms the other access to the upper floor. It climbs up to a bright landing with cupboards that leads to a vast bedroom to the east, with exposed beams and roof trusses, as well as shower room with lavatory to the west. Two full-length windows allow light to pour into the first bedroom, while a skylight bathes the second one in light.
The garden
A vast lawn stretches out in front of the south-facing longhouse and around it to the east. The garden is surrounded by a simple fence, in addition to hedges in some places and trees in others. A variety of trees such as walnut trees, beech trees and cherry trees are dotted around the garden. It exudes a peaceful atmosphere thanks to its uninterrupted views across the Saâne Valley.
The garage and cellar
An approximately 30-m² garage adjacent to the house to the west can be reached by a double-leaf door. On one side of it, a small flight of steps lead to a semi-underground cellar created when the longhouse was restored. Lastly, a very basic mezzanine like level below the exposed roof frame is used as loft space.
The outbuilding and bread oven
An outbuilding made up of half-timbering and rammed earth filler stands opposite the garage. It is divided into three parts, each of which has a separate entrance. One of them has a fireplace. It is in a somewhat dilapidated state, meaning renovation work is necessary. At the far reaches of the plot, at the very tip of the village, there is an old bread oven. Its clay-covered dome rests on a base that alternates brick and flint. Thanks to an overhanging sheet metal roof protecting it from the elements, it is still in good condition. The annex includes two rooms, one of which houses the brick-built oven hearth. The other room is used for storage.
Our opinion
This pleasant longhouse has been renovated with taste, combining traditional materials with modern fittings, blending calm and comfort in a décor that, both inside and out, is sober but full of character, focused on the essentials, with its clear lines and gentle colours. It is situated between the seaside and countryside on the outskirts of a village. As either a potential holiday home or family retreat, and it could easily be one or the other, it will provide a peaceful atmosphere for occupants seeking a green environment. The walking trails on the banks of the River Saâne and the beaches on the Côte d’Albâtre coastline enable discovery of a valley rich in history and with dazzling natural heritage. Quite simply, in short, it is a microcosm of Normandy itself.
Reference 991164
| Land registry surface area | 4785 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 228 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 4 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 90 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.
