Location
The town of Fontenay-aux-Roses was historically a sought-after spot of second homes for Parisians. These city-dwellers would come here to escape urban bustle and unwind in the summer. It has a rich history. In 1168, Fontenay-aux-Roses was a seigneurie that belonged to the Abbey of Saint Genevieve in Paris. In 1675, part of the town was sold to the famous French minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert. At that time, the place was given the name that it still bears today: the village would cultivate roses exclusively for King Louis XIV of France. Today, Fontenay-aux-Roses has become a vibrant hub with many amenities. A handy station on the RER B Paris regional rail network lies just an eight-minute walk from the property. And there are many schools nearby, including the nursery school Les Renards, the lower secondary school Les Ormeaux and the upper secondary school Marie Curie.
Description
The garden level has a spacious garage for two cars, as well as a fitness room, a utility room and a bedroom with a bathroom. The ground floor features a living room with an impressive cathedral ceiling: a welcoming reception room that has a ceiling height of 5.7 metres. This living room lies next to a dining room, a fitted kitchen and a television lounge with a fireplace. On the first floor, there are two large bedrooms. Each one has its own bathroom and terrace. Further on, there is an office.
The house
A long tree-lined drive leads up to the house. A majestic oak towers at the end of it. A garden surrounds the house. It is made up of a wide range of plants, including wisteria, roses, horsetails, hydrangeas, Japanese maples, honeysuckle and rhododendrons. An automated watering system waters the garden.
The garden-level floor
At the end of the drive there is a garage. It is spacious enough to park two cars side by side inside it and to create a small workshop in there too. From outside, a service entry leads into a corridor that connects to a guestroom and a guest bathroom. At the end of this corridor, there is a fitness room. It could be converted into a spare bedroom. Further on, there is a large utility room with many cupboards and a sauna.
The ground floor
The house’s main entrance is sheltered. It stands at the top of a flight of slate steps. The entrance door leads into a hallway, which connects to a lavatory on one side and to a fitted kitchen on the other. A sliding double window fills this large kitchen with natural light. The room offers many cupboards. White tiling covers its floor. Next to it there is a large south-facing living room with a cathedral ceiling. A set of bookshelves is positioned high up on one wall. You reach it via a ladder. East-facing French windows lead out onto a 20m² terrace where you can enjoy open-air meals in the shade. Three steps lead to a small television lounge with a fireplace. On the west side, a dining room adjoins the kitchen. Broad French windows lead out onto a terrace embellished with flowers.
The first floor
An elegant staircase of tiles and timber leads up to the first floor, where there are bedrooms. A gallery takes you to the different rooms. It is open-sided and looks down at the living room. The master bedroom has its own bathroom, which offers a bath, a lavatory, a shower and a washbasin. It also has a private terrace. The room is large. A broad built-in wardrobe extends all the way across one wall. There is a second bedroom on this floor. It has a slightly sloping ceiling. Like the master bedroom, it has an en-suite bathroom and a terrace, which faces east. There is also an office on this first floor, between the two bedrooms. It could serve as a spare bedroom.
Our opinion
This splendid house is a hidden gem set in a lush backdrop. It is an architectural blend of simplicity and practicality and it promises a life in tune with nature. The dwelling is built with high-quality materials that are easy to maintain. And large picture windows flood this unique haven with natural light.
1 300 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 822456
Land registry surface area | 500 m2 |
Total floor area | 240 m2 |
Number of rooms | 8 |
Number of bedrooms | 4 |
Possible number of bedrooms | 5 |
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.