In Burgundy, 2h from Paris, a 17th century feudal residence
and its garden officially labelled “outstanding”
and its garden officially labelled “outstanding”
,
YONNE
burgundy
FR
Location
The estate with its medieval castle lies close to an old village, less than 1h30 from Paris via the A6 motorway. The small neighbouring village features a 12th century Romanesque church, which was remodelled after the Wars of Religion and which has preserved its 17th and 18th century furnishings.
There are a few local shops and, a few minutes away, a well-known authentic market is held every Saturday morning. Situated 20 minutes from a town officially labelled "Ville d'histoire et de caractère" (Town of Art and History) by the Minister for Culture, very popular with tourists. Varied landscapes, a rolling countryside that is punctuated by hedgerows and oak forests.
A nearby train station connects to Paris (Gare de Bercy) in 1h10.
Description
An elaborate gate with two stone pillars opens onto a gravel driveway and parking area.
The estate comprises several very old lodgings, which are built around two enclosed courtyards: the first has several dwellings and the second dates back to the time of an older castle, which was destroyed following the Revolution and of which a few remains are still visible. A cypress alley now connects a swimming pool and an old building near a tower to the main house. The estate also offers a dovecote, a 14th-century lodge, a tower to the west and a spring topped by a round-arched roof from the same period. The buildings are surrounded by a multi-faceted French formal garden. A vast orangery stands out for its architecture. It is fully glazed and surrounded by lush vegetation. A well-maintained tennis court close to the greenhouse in no way diminishes the harmony of the place. Several ornamental elements emerge, such as a stone fountain near the orangery, an avenue of lime trees and a pond fed by springs. The property is slightly elevated, with exceptional views over the rolling countryside. Two heliports are also located inside the estate. On site, a battery charging station for electric vehicles.
The estate comprises several very old lodgings, which are built around two enclosed courtyards: the first has several dwellings and the second dates back to the time of an older castle, which was destroyed following the Revolution and of which a few remains are still visible. A cypress alley now connects a swimming pool and an old building near a tower to the main house. The estate also offers a dovecote, a 14th-century lodge, a tower to the west and a spring topped by a round-arched roof from the same period. The buildings are surrounded by a multi-faceted French formal garden. A vast orangery stands out for its architecture. It is fully glazed and surrounded by lush vegetation. A well-maintained tennis court close to the greenhouse in no way diminishes the harmony of the place. Several ornamental elements emerge, such as a stone fountain near the orangery, an avenue of lime trees and a pond fed by springs. The property is slightly elevated, with exceptional views over the rolling countryside. Two heliports are also located inside the estate. On site, a battery charging station for electric vehicles.
The main house
The castle was built in the 14th century on the site of an old feudal fortress surrounded by a moat. Over time, the building evolved into a fortified residence. Part of the building was destroyed in 1792, but some elements of medieval origin remain standing. The facade of the main house has numerous small-paned windows that give an idea of the brightness of the interior. The shutters are made up of tongue and groove boards, reinforced by crosspieces lined with recessed hinges. Their bright tone brings out the whiteness of the windowsills and the ochre of the wall. All lintels and the main door frame are of local bricks and stones. The roof is clad with tiles from Burgundy. It has several stone-framed hip dormer windows. A wisteria grows along the facade. The dwelling is also flanked by a flat-tiled tower topped by a pinnacle and weathervane.
The ground floor
Next to the main entrance is an office with oak bookcases, its windows are fitted with espagnolette locks and internal shutters. Period terracotta tile flooring. A drawing room boasts an open stone fireplace topped by an overmantel mirror. Next to the fireplace, old cupboards are built into the wall. Beamed ceiling. Next to the drawing room follows a spacious kitchen with dining area, fully equipped and lit by several skylights. A blue and white countertop that could have come from Delft or Gien. A room with a bread oven topped by a false brick mantle. An earthenware stove of the famous Godin brand stands nearby. Exposed beams. A small opening leads to another entrance to the west, which gives a glimpse of the lime tree avenue that leads to the pond. In the extension of the living room, a tower that once belonged to the castle now houses the dining room. Large mullioned windows overlook the former castle courtyard where a heated swimming pool has been installed. High ceilings with exposed joists, very thick walls (1.20 m), a fireplace with a bread oven, the ochre colour and old terracotta floor tiles, all these elements are highly authentic features.
The first floor
A wooden staircase is hidden behind a concealed door and leads to the first floor. A large landing laid with old terracotta floor tiles leads to three rooms. A spacious master bedroom is adorned with numerous wooden panels. An en-suite bathroom with storage space and a wood-encased bathtub lies in front of a closet. The other two bedrooms are lit by dormer windows. Both have stone window sills and one bedroom features its own shower room with toilet. The doors have decorative mouldings and each room has interior shutters.
The outdoor reception area and a first lodging
A large terrace can be used as a reception area, it is equipped with dining furniture. It can hold about 15 people. The floor is paved with Burgundy slabs. It is semi-open and on one side a picture window runs along the room, opening up a view of the park. In the centre of the courtyard, a black mulberry tree. A shelter with wooden pillars resting on stone bases. A laundry room. A passageway leads to a study. A door with openwork connects with the first building. This comprises a dining room and two large reception rooms. The buildings around the first courtyard have been restored with appropriate skill and observance of regulation and are part of the former medieval farm belonging to the castle.
The ground floor
An opening with a wooden lintel and brick pillars leads to a dining room with seating capacity of about 15 people (with tables and chairs). An area laid with flagstones is lit by an window facing the park. A staircase with straight wooden steps leads to the first floor.
The first floor
A large room under an exposed roof structure extends over almost the entire level. It is lit by numerous windows and could be used as a seminar room, for instance. The flooring is large straight strip oak parquet. An adjacent reading room follows. Again, the beams are exposed. A comfortable place with well-stocked bookcases.
The four seasons lounge
This is a large room with an open stone fireplace and Burgundy stone floor. A reception room follows, where an antique 200 kg bellows stands against the wall near the hearth. Large windows that open fully during the summer months illuminate the exposed roof structure. The wall above the window is adorned with an elaborate wooden entablature. A large part of the room features half-timbered walls.
A building with four suites
Another very well designed building borders the inner courtyard. A brick entablature runs along the main facade which stands out for the innovative elegant brick lintels. The double windows, are reminiscent of those in the main house. The dormer windows run along the hipped roof, which is also clad with flat Burgundy tiles. The entrance door is topped by a glass transom.
The ground floor
All the suites are named after flowers or plants that grow in the garden: tulip, rose, saffron, daffodil, hawthorn and almond. Two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and separate toilets. The rooms on the ground floor feature old terracotta tiles and majestic exposed beams. Some rooms enjoy a working open fireplace. Interior shutters.
The first floor
A small wooden staircase leads to a landing serving two other bedrooms. They are beautifully decorated, with very comfortable bathrooms and views of the surrounding countryside.
The gym and the health spa
The building that houses this equipment is a long building like a farmhouse. It is adorned with several climbing roses that add colour to the facade during the summer season. All doors and windows are brick-framed. Two massive wooden doors open onto a gym with several exercise equipment devices and a wellness area with a steam room, sauna and massage room. The floor is waxed concrete. Air conditioning and underfloor heating. One room is dedicated to electric massage with jade stone and infrared. Exposed beams, waxed concrete, high windows: a place that harmoniously combines modernity and tradition.
The dovecote
A round tower roofed with Burgundy tiles has been restored by one of the architects of the “Bâtiments de France” (official architect working under the authority of the Ministry of Culture). It currently contains the whirlpool, a walk-in shower room, a cloakroom and toilets. The one hundred and forty nesting holes are a reminder of the building's origin. Old terracotta tiles. Large mullioned windows with internal shutters.
The oldest of the dwellings: the lodge
This building is one of the remnants of the 14th century, its roof has several long-sided pitches, punctuated by hip dormers. The walls are covered with climbing vegetation which reveals here an oeil-de-boeuf or there large windows with red shutters. The lodge is located in the former courtyard of the castle and has an exterior stone staircase with a wrought iron railing on the tower side.
The ground floor
A large room serves as a sitting room with a small kitchen on one side. Period tiled flooring, French ceiling. In the centre of the room sits a large open fireplace. The adjacent fully equipped kitchen is lit by a small-paned window. The sitting room opens onto a bedroom with shower room. A wooden staircase leads to the upper floor.
The first floor
A spacious bedroom with an en-suite bathroom with cast iron clawfoot bath. Functioning cupboards with interior lighting. A wooden door opens out onto the stone staircase outside the building.
The wine storehouse
A building that serves as a wine storehouse is close to the oldest house. Originally, this was the castle's kitchen, and there is still a fireplace, but it is currently not in use. Under its vaulted ceiling, the floor is laid with Burgundy tiles.
The orangery
Created on the property by the architect Fabrice Bardini, famous for building greenhouses according to historic plans, it is an all-glass and steel structure decorative and practical at once. A large sitting room with an open stone fireplace. The terracotta floor tiles are reminiscent of those of the other lodgings. A professional kitchen is located near the dining room, which faces the tennis court. Another room is used as a greenhouse during the winter. A staircase leads to the roof for the pleasure of offering a panoramic view.
The outbuildings
At the entrance to the property, there are large garages with sliding doors of about 55 m². A laundry room of approximately 20 m². This is followed by a small room, a second laundry room, a shed with a freezer, a wine cellar of about 25 m² and the gardener's workshop of about 30 m².
The labelled “Outstanding" garden
Seven hectares of pastures have been transformed into a series of six gardens in order to respect the balance of the surrounding landscape: the arboretum, which consists of some sixty species, a wood, an orchard, a vegetable garden, a rose garden and a normal garden. The complex is the result of a constantly evolving reflection, influenced by the writings of Terence Conran and Dan Pearson. Two areas are dedicated to gardens: one behind the car park; the other in the large meadow. Numerous species can be found, such as the Chinese tulip tree, the common catalpa or the handkerchief tree. In the meadow, further trees take their place, such as the Judas tree, the American copalm or the Japanese elm.
Thanks to the rediscovered plans, the occupants were able to restore the French formal garden that once existed. Well-mown paths give way to cone-shaped hornbeams, followed by circles of stipa tenuifolia and pennisetum alopecuroides. An avenue of lime trees links the buildings with the small wood and the pond fed by the five springs on the estate. A pond with a jetty has just been restored with a display of some twenty topiary elements. The orchard is planted with purple beech and gingko biloba. On the north and south sides there are apple trees, and pear trees on the east and west sides. A flowering fallow bed. Beehives are also present.
Around the orangery, a genuine rose garden has been designed. Geometric shapes such as triangles and boxwood squares surround lavender: Hidcote Blue and Nana Munstead as well as multiple roses such as the Auberge de l'Ill, the Fairy and Rhapsody in Blue.
A vegetable garden of about 1600 m², planted with, among other varieties, hornbeams as protection from the wind, aromatic herbs and all kinds of vegetables. The pathways are of stabilised grass, which makes it possible to walk even in rainy weather. The plants stem from seedlings grown in the greenhouse. On the side of the old courtyard, a row of cypress trees from Italy grow close to the castle. A few stone sculptures such as Adam and Eve or a bust punctuate the grounds to highlight flower beds. In an alley, several chickens can be heard, they have their own house: a small tower with several glass facets. In order not to forget that the region is rich in black earth and clay, a building houses a pottery workshop.
Our opinion
To do justice to this property in a few words seems impossible. Amongst a thousand and one estates, this one stands out for the harmonised multitude of its buildings, a real hamlet in the heart of a breathtaking French formal park. Its sublime architecture simply combines the centuries and harmoniously blends with its outstanding garden, the “Jardin extraordinaire” sung about by Charles Trenet, which has become a reality. In the same way that the castle, its outbuildings and its park are united, indoors, stone and wood are intertwined. The comfort of the rooms, the produce from the vegetable garden, a walk under the foliage of more than sixty species of trees: this is an exceptional property of rare quality.
2 862 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 640778
| Land registry surface area | 7 ha 9 a 14 ca |
| Main building surface area | 461.66 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 9 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 1261.01 m2 |
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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.
