A restored longhouse with outbuildings, in 2.8 hectares,
with a rose garden, orchard and meadows, in the countryside around Tours
with a rose garden, orchard and meadows, in the countryside around Tours
Ligueil,
INDRE-ET-LOIRE
center-val-de-loire
37240
FR
Location
This estate is located near Loches, south of Tours, in the Indre-et-Loire area, in the Centre-Val de Loire region. The surrounding countryside is open and dotted with hedges, coppices and isolated trees. From a bird’s eye view, the hamlets punctuating the landscape can be spotted thanks to their roofs made of flat tiles. It takes 20 minutes to reach the station in Loches, from where several trains per day leave for Tours with connections to Paris. A junction on the A10 motorway is 30 minutes away, while essential everyday shops can be reached in a few minutes by car.
Description
From a small country road, a drive lined by an orchard and a grassy meadow leads up to the house that is tucked away behind a hedgerow. The approximately 220-m², 19th-century longhouse has very recently been fully restored. The south-facing edifice made of rendered ashlar with a gabled roof of flat tiles boasts a long patio, bordered with low boxwood hedges, overlooking the courtyard. The facade is adorned with Virginia creeper and wisteria. To the side, a former sheep shed has been transformed into a guests’ house and could be used as a holiday rental. The traditional barn opposite possesses a carriage gate and is adjacent to a small house as well as a large awning under which cars can be parked. Behind, there is a rose garden boasting almost 150 varieties, pergolas, tree-covered paths and relaxing green spaces. The property spreads out over a surface of almost 2.8 hectares and is enclosed by hedgerows.
The longhouse
The ground floor
A small patio to the north of the house leads to the main entrance. Once inside, the entrance hall stands opposite a modern, black metal and oakwood staircase with sleek lines. On one side, there is an office facing both south and west, with a stone fireplace in which a wood-burning stove has been installed. A door opens out onto the patio and the exposed beams on the ceiling have been painted white. On the other side, the south-facing dining room opens onto the patio via a door as well as a window and leads to a former bread oven with rendered stone walls and a brick-built vault. The south-facing lounge can be reached along two wide corridors and features, on its back wall, a large fireplace with a stone trumeau panel. Two steps descend into a corridor leading to the entirely renovated kitchen as well as a scullery. There is terracotta tiled flooring throughout this level. Light-coloured exposed beams add character to the ceilings of the lounge and dining room, while the oakwood doors are made to measure. The entrance also leads to a bathroom and a new shower room.
The upstairs
The main staircase climbs to an intermediate landing, which leads to two bedrooms as well as a lavatory. One of the bedrooms faces south through dormer and skylight, while the other faces east, through a hay loft door. On the other side, a final bedroom is adjacent to wardrobe space and is bathed in light through a west-facing glazed door. The flooring on this level is made up of period terracotta tiles.
The guests’ house
This edifice was once a sheep shed and stands on one side of the courtyard. A dual-aspect living room is bathed in light via a triple-leaf window, while two double-leaf French windows open out onto a west-facing patio.
The ground floor
The living room occupies virtually all of this level, in which a kitchen is in the process of installation. A small shower room with a lavatory can be found in the corner, while the floor is paved with period terracotta tiles.
The upstairs
A light-coloured, oakwood staircase climbs up to a large room, into which light streams through a window on the south gable wall.
The outbuildings
On the south side of the courtyard, the barn is typical of local agricultural architecture, with a protruding, monumental, central porch. The rendered walls are framed by thick, tuffeau stone quoins. Two small annex buildings frame the porch and the main roof is made of period flat tiles. A large awning with a wooden roof frame supporting a corrugated sheet roof under which cars can be parked stands adjacent to the barn. To the west, a small house awaits conversion.
The grounds
At the entrance to the property, there is a large orchard with apple, pear, plum and cherry trees, among others. In the courtyard in front of the main house, there is a large lawned area dominated by a two-hundred-year-old lime tree. Behind the barn, long grassy paths criss-cross the garden beneath flower-covered arcades, pergola arches and a wide variety of rose bushes spread around the different zones of greenery. A small pond stands behind a coppice of trees.
Our opinion
This is a property where the garden plays a central role in the place’s identity. Almost 150 varieties of roses, pergolas, tree-covered paths covered and zones of greenery make up a carefully structured landscape, in which each view seems to extend from the previous one. Botanical enthusiasts will no doubt be delighted with the successfully designed composition of the garden, with the possibility of enhancing it according to their desires. The sober interior features that highlight the period terracotta tiles, exposed beams and stone walls will serve as a palette for new occupants to suit it to their own tastes.
Reference 312276
| Land registry surface area | 2 ha 76 a |
| Main building floor area | 275 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 4 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 200 m² |
Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
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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.
