A large, luxurious home, its outbuildings and almost 5 ha
between the Manche and Calvados departments in the Bessin region
between the Manche and Calvados departments in the Bessin region
Sainte-Marguerite-d'Elle,
CALVADOS
lower-normandy
14330
FR
Location
This property stands, not far from a hamlet, on the edge of the Cotentin and Bessin Marshes Regional Nature Park, amidst bocage countryside alternating crops and pastures. Numerous vestiges and sites bearing witness to the 1944 D-Day Landing are to be seen nearby. Paris can be reached in 3 hours by road or 2½ hours by train from Lison station, 10 minutes away. The regional capital is 40 minutes away, Bayeux is 20 km away and the nearest local shops are less than 10 km away in two villages. The historic Omaha Beach, also ideal for sport activities and its natural surroundings, is less than 20 minutes away.
Description
The road gives direct access to the entrance courtyard. The 17th century house is directly in front. A large, Napoleon-style stable stands at right angles. Both buildings are surrounded by vast areas, laid to lawn, followed by meadows. The other outbuildings are set out behind the stables.
The large, luxurious home
Constructed in the 17th century from shale quarry blocks, this house spans three levels, one of which is under the rafters. The gable, slate roof features numerous Jacobin-style dormers and skylights.
The ground floor
The entrance door is set in the centre of the facade. It opens into a vast entrance hall, housing a wooden stairway. One door opens out into the garden behind the house, another leads to a toilet. A hall area provides access to a kitchen, preceding a back kitchen. On the other side, double glazed doors open into a dining room, followed by a living room. Floors are laid with contemporary tiles. Tall windows and glazed doors let copious amounts of light into the rooms. Fireplaces are made of wood, sculpted stone or dressed stone. Cornices enhance the ceilings. The kitchen features exposed beams and joists. A wood-burning stove is installed in the fireplace. An old stone sink is to be found in the back kitchen, currently used as a laundry and boiler room.
The first floor
The stairway, with its two flights of wide, wooden steps, goes up to a vast landing, paved with old stone tiles, which opens into a ladies’ sitting room, with wooden parquet flooring. On one side, a door opens into a large vestibule, paved with similar stone tiles. It provides access to two bedrooms, each with its own shower room and toilet. Although the end bedroom is not a through room, it is illuminated via windows on three sides, the second looking out over the garden behind the house. On the other side, a long corridor, also paved with old stone tiles, leads to two adjoining rooms, followed by the main bedroom, its bathroom including a bath, a shower and a toilet. The bedroom floors are laid with strip or herringbone pattern parquet flooring.
The second floor
The wooden stairway is concealed behind a door. This level has slightly sloping ceilings. A long corridor provides access to all the rooms, including a bedroom, with a bathroom and toilet, a bathroom, with a toilet, another two bedrooms and a vast room, with a cathedral ceiling. Floors are predominantly paved with old Caen stone tiles. Some trusses and half-timbering have been left exposed. The rooms are widely illuminated via numerous Jacobin-style dormers and skylights.
The outbuildings
These outbuildings are composed of a stable, a cowshed, a barn and a small summer house. The cowshed and the barn date from the same construction period as the house, whilst the stable was built at the beginning of the 19th century. This vast, Napoleon-style building spans two levels topped with attic space. The walls are constructed from rendered quarry stone blocks, built on brick lower sections. Brick was also used for the quoins, the surrounds framing the openings and the string courses separating the levels. The gable roof is covered with slate. It features a gable-pediment, including two tall, semi-circular-arched windows. Said gable-pediment tops a very wide opening, closed by four sets of double wooden doors which once gave access to horse-drawn carriages. A door on either side opens into the old tack room and the maintenance storeroom. Stalls, storage areas and workshops are laid out to the rear. The first level is given over to accommodating staff, with a small section used for storing fodder. The other outbuildings are constructed from quarry stone blocks and cob under slate roofs. The roof covering the small summer house has been extended with a rounded hip end.
The garden and the land
The grassy areas surrounding the house and the outbuildings are crossed by the vestiges of a water piping system. Facing the house, the old moats are partially filled with water. In the rear garden, a large, stone pond recuperates runoff water and feeds the small channels crossing the lawns on their way to the moats. Tall trees, predominantly oak, hazelnut, willow and maple, separate the garden from the meadows. Large flowerbeds, planted with buddleia and other shrubs, form concealed areas. Light alternates throughout with the shady areas that are so welcome during the summer months.
Our opinion
Set amidst bocage countryside, this house is outstandingly enhanced by the vast open spaces surrounding it. The soberness of its architecture contrasts with the elegance and size of the large stable. The garden, with its gentle curves, surprises visitors with its privacy. The water flowing in the little channels, crossed by bridges, is both joyful and reassuring. The rooms inside the house are laid out in such a way as to make them easy to move around. The conversion potential of the stable and the outbuildings is very promising. Unless, of course, the available space is quite simply used by an experienced gardener, a skilful DIY enthusiast or a shrewd collector.
745 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 478466
| Land registry surface area | 4 ha 5 a |
| Main building surface area | 300 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 6 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 350 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.
