A 16th and 18th-century manor with outbuildings,
in 10 hectares of parkland, 15 minutes from Château-Gontier
Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne, MAYENNE pays-de-loire 53200 FR

Location

This estate is equidistant from two historical towns with all essential shops and services, in the Mayenne area, in the Pays de la Loire region. The property is also 25 minutes from Laval, from where high-speed TGV trains put Paris within less than 1 hour 15 minutes’ reach.

Description

The manor’s origins date back to the 16th century and it has been successively inhabited by illustrious local families. To the southeast, in the wooded landscape, an entrance gate leads to the outbuildings and courtyard. The L-shaped residence is made up of two sections. One of them occupies the converted former 17th-century chapel, while the second includes a perpendicular wing added in the 18th century. An elegant staircase tower stands at the corner of both sections and is topped by a distinctive corbelled level, in which a single room overlooks the entire estate. The manor is entirely made of dressed and rubble stone, beneath roofs of local slate. The dormer plus window and door surrounds are made from tuffeau stone. To the north of the property, meadows stretch out around a lake lined with trees.

The manor


The ground floor
An entrance into the east wing from the courtyard to the north opens into a hall leading to all the rooms on this level. The black and white chessboard patterned floor is made up of stone slabs. A large lounge with a marble fireplace and taco tiling can also be reached via the southern facade through a glazed door. The lounge is followed by an office / study with a marble fireplace topped by a neo-classical trumeau panel and boasting strip-patterned wooden flooring. The northern tip of the wing is occupied by a dining room with strip-patterned wooden flooring and a marble console, also topped by a trumeau panel. The kitchen is adjacent to the dining room.
From the entrance hall, the ground floor in the other wing continues towards the staircase tower, a lavatory, a bedroom and a tiled shower room. It also houses a second, smaller entrance hall from the courtyard, with a lavatory. The floors in this wing are paved with terracotta tiles. All the ceilings on the ground floor boast exposed beams, some of which are painted, while others are not.
The first floor
This level includes two bedrooms, the first of which has strip-patterned wooden flooring. The second has been transformed into a walk-in wardrobe but still has an en suite lavatory.
The second floor
Another bedroom with an adjoining bathroom is paved with terracotta tiles. On the same landing, a bathroom with a lavatory and a separate shower room complete this level. There is also easy access to the loft.
The third floor
At the top of the staircase tower, there is a bedroom (which was formerly the corbelled guard room) that boasts uninterrupted views over all the parkland. There is a hand-washbasin on the landing.
The basement
Three cellars occupy the entire floor area of the residence, beneath its raised ground floor. One of them is used as a storeroom, can be reached from the outside and has a surface of 37 m². The 5-m² second one houses the pump for the well and was previously used as a store, with a door leading outside. The last one is used as a boiler room, with a domestic fuel tank and boiler, as well as a utility room, and has a surface of 21 m².

The guests’ house

The guests’ house was entirely restored several years ago and includes a fitted kitchen, a lounge / dining room, three bedrooms and a bathroom with a lavatory. A staircase leads upstairs to vast lofts. In the adjoining building, there is a garage, former stables with wooden looseboxes, plus two former cowsheds.

The barn

It is used for storing tools and gardening equipment. The barn’s flooring is made of a rammed earth. It has a loft that can be reached via a wooden staircase.

The circular tower

This edifice is made of rubble stone and topped by a slate pepper-pot roof. Along with the manor’s staircase tower, it is the last defensive remains of the former fiefdom.

The kennels

They can be found in an octagonal stone tower with a slate roof. The 3-m² interior is divided into two equal parts.

The parkland

The landscaped grounds spread out over around ten hectares, of which 2.5 hectares are lawned, with an orchard and a well, in particular. There are many different types of trees, such as sequoias, horse chestnuts, lime trees and English oaks, among others. In the eastern reaches near to the barn, there are the ruins of a former 19th-century farm, of which all that remains are its walls. Grassy meadows extend beyond the white wooden palisade fences. A wide, 200-metre lane bordered by topiaries leads to an approximately 1-hectare lake surrounded by trees and shrubs sheltering its banks.

Our opinion

This is a property where history can still be seen in its architecture as well as the landscape. From the old residence to the guard room dominating the estate, from the outbuildings to the tree-lined lake, each element contributes to the property’s unity that has been developed as the generations have come and gone. The recent restoration has respected this storied past, without ignoring the benefits of modern comfort. The guests’ house, outbuildings and the expanse of the parkland provide it with a family-friendly feel that blends seamlessly into the hedgerow landscapes of the Mayenne area. Some pieces of furniture that are particularly in keeping with the premises’ character could be additionally purchased, to play a part in passing on a tradition that has been shaped over the generations.

Exclusive sale

900 000 € Including negotiation fees
849 057 € Excluding negotiation fees
6% incl. VAT to be paid by the buyer


See the fee rates

Reference 846175

Land registry surface area 10 ha 50 a 14 ca
Main building floor area 300 m²
Number of bedrooms 4
Outbuildings floor area 500 m²
including refurbished area 100 m²

Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr

Consultant

Jean Luard +33 1 42 84 80 85

contact

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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.