In a hamlet in the Ardèche Cévennes, an old 19th century farmhouse
converted into guest rooms and gîtes, with 17 ha of grounds
converted into guest rooms and gîtes, with 17 ha of grounds
Aubenas, ARDECHE
rhones-alps
07200
FR
Location
60 km west of Aubenas or east of Mende, 70 km south of Le Puy-en-Velay, on the edge of the Cévennes National Park and the Monts d'Ardèche Regional Nature Park. Situated on the border between Lozère, Ardèche and Haute-Loire, the region has been marked by the presence of various footpaths since the Middle Ages, including the Camino de Santiago and Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, or the "Le Partage des Eaux” artistic route.
The property is located near a most unspoilt thermal site, the Continental divide where the Atlantic and Mediterranean basins meet. Set in a hamlet of about fifteen inhabitants, it consists of an old farmhouse clinging to the hill, a horse stable and several flat or terraced plots of land, grouped or dotted around the village.
Description
A passageway serves the east-facing former farmhouse in the heart of the property and four surrounding buildings. A fifth, which is used for agricultural purposes and provides shelter for horses, sits further away. Each building has been renovated: the barn comprises two gîtes, each of approx. 40 m², and the stable offers a third of approx. 80 m². The wood fire has been upgraded to a pellet boiler. Finally, the dwelling of approximately 240 m² has three guest rooms. Each gîte features a terrace. The property, located in a hamlet included on the map of Cassini since the 18th century, has been entirely restored with an ecological approach. All the materials used have been chosen with the aim of respecting the natural structure: wooden frameworks for the new constructions, wood fibre insulation, Fontenay stone. Yet modern comfort has not been forgotten and is provided thanks to various installations: solar water heater, photovoltaic panels, reversible heat pump.
The old farmhouse
The old dwelling built over three levels offers modernised exterior and interior features. The facades are a mixture of rendered or exposed stone with wooden cladding; they are punctuated on the ground and upper floors by irregularly arranged windows of various sizes and shapes. Its gable roof, with a skylight that illuminates the second floor shower room, is clad with interlocking tiles. Landscaped terraces as well as sloping or stepped walkways, link the buildings together. The main body of the farmhouse, fed by a spring, is extended by various ornamental or vegetable stepped gardens that gradually slope down to a stream.
Garden level
An entrance lobby leads to the tiled kitchen and a spiral staircase to the upper floors. In between, a small, tiled corridor serves the living room. The L-shaped kitchen is located in the extension on the eastern side of the house and opens onto the outside via large picture windows: a terrace adorned with flowers overlooking the wooded grounds and facing the Cévennes mountains.
First floor
This level is divided into two guest rooms. The first one, of about 20 m², features an en-suite shower room. It is located in the wooden extension that houses the kitchen on the lower level. The second, of approximately 40 m², includes an extra room currently used as a small drawing room and children's area. The separate master bedroom is extended by a balcony of about 4 m² allowing an unobstructed view of the valley. The floors and ceilings of the bedrooms, as well as a partition wall, are modern pine wood.
Second floor
The last level is similar to the previous one. However, the 20 m² bedroom in the new building, with en-suite shower room, offers an increased volume thanks to the additional space that has been created under the roof structure. The second bedroom, of approximately 40 m², differs from the one on the lower level in that it forms a large single volume housing the sleeping area and an office corner, extended by a balcony of approximately 4 m². It is presently used by the owners and therefore does not serve as a guest room.
The gîtes
The old barn is currently divided into two twin gîtes, with rendered or rough-cast stone facades. Each of them comprises a living room that houses the kitchen and opens onto a shower room, as well as a partitioned bedroom. A mezzanine for the children, lit by a roof window, tops this living space and could also be turned into a sleeping area. Under this former storage building, the old stable has been converted into a large open flat, but could also be used as a large reception room.
The barn
A recent construction with a floor area of approx. 80 m², partially covered with wooden cladding on the facade and roofed with interlocking tiles, the barn is situated below the main house. Sitting on a natural terrace, it includes in its lower part stables for horses and donkeys and a storage area for their fodder. Above this, a garage and storeroom provide sufficient space for the storage of all farm equipment.
Our opinion
Looking out over beautiful horizons as well as towards ecological modernity, this former farm and its land form a privileged place to stay, at the meeting point of different regions. With a focus on farming and tourism, the property offers many opportunities for guests and residents, whether they simply wish to cultivate their own garden or provide a home for Robert-Louis Stevenson and Modestine (in Travels with a donkey in the Cevennes), who have gone astray.
And if, like these two adventurers, they try lose their way, they will inevitably meet up right here.
695 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 195280
| Land registry surface area | 100 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 280 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 7 |
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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.
