A classical 19th-century property with its gardener’s cottage, greenhouse,
orangery and one-hectare grounds, 35 minutes to the southwest of Paris
orangery and one-hectare grounds, 35 minutes to the southwest of Paris
Briis-sous-Forges,
ESSONNE
ile-de-france
91640
FR
Location
Located in the western part of the Ile-de-France region, in the north-west of the Essonne department and southwest of the capital, the property is not far from the Saclay plateau and accessible via the A10 motorway in 35 minutes from the Porte d’Orléans. Known in particular for its 11th and 12th-century church as well as its keep, where legend has it that Anne Boleyn once sojourned, the town in which the property is located is only a stone’s throw away from the Haute Vallée de Chevreuse regional natural park and surrounded by verdant parkland. In addition, it contains all essential shops, facilities and services for daily life, including educational establishments all the way up to secondary school, while, via bus and then the RER, Paris is only one hour away on public transportation.
Description
Once past the impressive wrought-iron entrance gate, which faces the village church, a French formal garden, sheltered from view and decorated with a central circular pond and Medici flowerpots becomes visible and guides one’s gaze towards the dwelling in the background. With white plaster exteriors decorated with understated and, yet, elegant details, low-arched symmetrical windows safeguarded by finely crafted guardrails and white-painted louvred shutters, as well as a slate hipped roof topped with dormer windows, chimneys, finials and zinc ridge cresting, the house sets the tone for this meticulous and affluent property.
To the left, the orangery, crowned with a zinc roof, stands near the ancient semi-circular greenhouse, which was recently restored, while, to the west, the grounds are planted with multi-century oaks, and, to the east, the gardener’s cottage, entirely restored, enjoys direct access from the village square, thereby providing the former with a certain amount of autonomy.
To the left, the orangery, crowned with a zinc roof, stands near the ancient semi-circular greenhouse, which was recently restored, while, to the west, the grounds are planted with multi-century oaks, and, to the east, the gardener’s cottage, entirely restored, enjoys direct access from the village square, thereby providing the former with a certain amount of autonomy.
The Manor House
With three storeys and partially built over a basement level, the house is characterised by the symmetry of its architecture. Composed of a central building topped with a slate hipped roof, which is, in turn, crowned with zinc ridge cresting and punctuated by gabled and curved dormer windows, the manor also has two lower wings on either side, which add to the edifice’s overall symmetry. Organised around the main entrance, the ground floor of the central building is accessible via a stone staircase, while the first floor is bathed in light by three large-paned windows as well as two bull’s-eye windows.
The ground floor
The house’s front glass double doors open onto an entrance hall with cream and black cabochon floor tiles as well as waist-high, painted wood panelling. To the right, is a lavatory with a washbasin, while, to the left, a wooden door opens onto a dual-aspect living room with mitred herringbone hardwood floors, a white marble fireplace and two windows facing south and north with interior wooden shutters. Not far from here, is the entirely fitted kitchen, where a glass door, reminiscent of the kind found in artist’s studios, opens onto a utility room, which provides access to the cellars. Back in the entrance hall, a doorway on the right contains the wooden staircase to the upstairs floors, while, following on from here, a door leads to a drawing room with straight-plank hardwood floors and a white lion-claw marble fireplace, which could be repurposed as a dining room or a study. Last, but not least, a shower room rounds out the rooms on this level.
The first floor
Accessible via the main staircase, this level is made up of a landing, which provides access to four bedrooms as well as a bathroom. In addition, each bedroom has preserved its original details (in particular, mitred herringbone hardwood floors, marble fireplaces, wainscoting and crown moulding).
The second floor
Accessible from a small staircase, a landing provides access to a tiled bathroom, two bedrooms bathed in light by dormer windows, a convertible attic space as well as a separate lavatory.
The basement
This level is accessible from the staircase in the utility room and includes three cellars, including one for wine storage.
The Gardener's Cottage
Built in the south-eastern corner of the property, the gardener’s cottage, which recently underwent a meticulous renovation, is directly accessible from the grounds as well as a pedestrian gate that opens onto the church square, providing this dwelling with a certain amount of autonomy. With two storeys topped with a tile roof, the cottage’s exposed stone exteriors were recently renovated.
The garden level’s front door opens onto a foyer, from which a wooden staircase provides upstairs access. To the left is a linen cupboard with a hot water heater, while, to the right, a glass door leads to the fitted kitchen. Following on from here, a door communicates with the living room with faux-hardwood floor tiles as well as a fireplace.
The upstairs level, with hardwood floors throughout, contains a landing with cupboards, which provides access to three bedrooms as well as a tiled bathroom.
The Orangery
This was built on the western part of the property, near the main entrance gate, and has stone exteriors punctuated by immense picture windows as well as a zinc hipped roof, which was recently restored. Accessible via small-paned glass double doors, the orangery contains approximately 20 m².
The Greenhouse
Located near the orangery, the semi-circular greenhouse abuts a stone wall and is topped with a walkway that makes it possible to open and close the fanlights carefully placed for purposes of ventilation. Recently restored by the property’s current owners, its interior is composed of two sections separated by a glass door and still contains its original elements.
The Outbuildings
On the southern part of the grounds and extending on from the gardener’s cottage, they include a garden shed, which is used as a workshop and for storage, as well as a garage and a storeroom.
The Grounds
Extending over more than one hectare, they include a French formal garden in front of the house, organised around a central pond, which creates wonderful views from the manor house’s windows. To the west, pathways scattered here and there with stone benches traverse a grove planted with multi-century oaks, while the grounds’ western side is bordered by a stone wall. Lastly, to the south, the grounds also contain an ancient wooden pavilion.
Our opinion
Although upon first glance, it looks like a typical 19th-century manor house, this property quickly dons the appearance of a genuine small chateau with human-size proportions, accompanied by its orangery, greenhouse and grounds planted with multi-century trees. Having benefitted from a meticulous restoration on the behalf of its current owners, who were keen on integrating the comforts of modern life with a 19th-century feel, today, the house still feels like a place straight out of a novel by the Countess of Ségur. Moreover, the gardener’s cottage represents an additional asset for those who would like extra living space and could be operated as either a holiday cottage or a year-round rental, thereby generating substantial revenue. Lastly, thanks to its proximity to Paris, the manor house is perfectly suited as a second home or a main residence.
1 350 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 517468
| Land registry surface area | 1 ha 2 a 89 ca |
| Main building surface area | 403 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 6 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 120 m2 |
Share
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.
