A rural neo-Norman house at the end of a forest drive, 30 minutes from
the city of Amiens and the River Somme’s beautiful bay in northern France
the city of Amiens and the River Somme’s beautiful bay in northern France
Flixecourt,
SOMME
picardy
80420
FR
Location
The village of Ville-le-Marclet is tucked away in the open landscape of France’s historical Ponthieu province, among cultivated fields, gently undulating land and the River Somme valley. You can easily reach the village via main roads and the A16 motorway. Ville-le-Marclet is also conveniently close to the large town of Abbeville. The house is set back in absolute privacy. It comes into view at the end of a forest drive. The grounds extend around the home, covering 16 hectares of gardens, woods and pasture, where horses frolic freely.
Description
The house is a former outbuilding that once belonged to a nearby chateau. It was built in the late 19th century. The dwelling offers 295m² of liveable floor area. It used to be a storehouse for carriages used by the chateau owners. You can still see this former purpose in its facade, which is punctuated with three large glazed archways – old carriage entrances. Above the facade, in the middle, there is a half-timbered gable end that emphasises the neo-Norman influence on architecture of the time. A large timber overhang, supported by a framework of exposed wooden beams, shelters the terrace, which lies immediately in front of the old archways. Indeed, this terrace is like an extra room outside. On the right, there is an adjoining round tower – a former dovecote – made of brick. This tower is crowned with a cone roof of flat tiles from the local town of Phalempin. On the left, a former caretaker's dwelling completes the facade symmetrically.
The house
The ground floor
You step through the central front door into a vast room with remarkable spaciousness, a terracotta-tiled floor and a ceiling of exposed beams. The room features an imposing open-hearth fireplace made of stone with a timber mantelpiece. A lounge area extends around a piano. Exposed beams give structure to the ceiling. The room connects to the adjoining round tower, which houses a dining room and a second lounge. At the back of the house, a bedroom leads outside via a glazed door. Beside the former caretaker's dwelling, there is a fitted kitchen designed in a rustic style. It is bathed in an abundance of natural light. A saddle room, set back, tells us that horse-riding has always been a part of this place’s story.
The upstairs
You reach the first floor via two separate staircases, which allow for fluid movement within the home. This first floor extends along a central corridor, which connects to seven bedrooms, two bathrooms and two lavatories. You can see exposed beams of the roof frame in all the rooms up here. The master bedroom lies in the round tower, beneath a cone-shaped ceiling with exposed beams.
The outbuilding
The outbuilding is made up of four closed garages and an open-sided shelter.
Our opinion
This delightful family dwelling is at once imposing and original, tucked away in a lush, bucolic environment of absolute calm. The home gives a strong impression of both reliable sturdiness and soothing peacefulness. Its garden, woods and pasture form a colourful backdrop that is vast enough for you to enjoy a wide range of activities here. The haven is ideally located too, nestled between the beautiful countryside of Picardy and the stunning coastline of the bay of the River Somme, yet not too far from Paris. The house is rich in tones, rustic and elegant in style, and full of spacious rooms. These qualities allow for an endless choice of possible uses.
Reference 141001
| Land registry surface area | 16 ha |
| Main building floor area | 295 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 8 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 50 m² |
French Energy Performance Diagnosis
Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
Share
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.
