A remarkably restored Belle Époque villa and its guest houses
on the banks of the Loire, halfway between Nantes and Ancenis
on the banks of the Loire, halfway between Nantes and Ancenis
,
LOIRE-ATLANTIQUE
pays-de-loire
FR
Location
Situated in the eastern part of the Loire-Atlantique department, in a sought-after town on the banks of the Loire, around 20 km from Nantes, the property is a stone's throw from a regional TER station connecting to the city in just 17 minutes. Shops, schools, health services, associations and historic or cultural sites are all within easy reach, contributing to the attractiveness of the location. The property is located 30 km from Nantes-Atlantique international airport, 70 km from the nearest beaches and 360 km from Paris.
Description
The first gate opens from the street onto a hedge-lined driveway, which leads to a second gate framed by two dry-stone pillars. The grounds unfold from here, featuring on one side a vast, deep garage, a shelter and a workshop, as well as two guest houses created in the former stables. At the back, the sober rear facade of the villa completes the view of the upper part of the grounds.
The sloping parkland surrounds the residence on both sides. It features a swimming pool with pool house and a large terrace in front of the elevation facing the Loire, before descending down to the perimeter wall. Below the terrace, two rows of centuries-old trees frame an elegant expanse of lawn. Finally, a gate in the perimeter wall provides access to the street leading to the station.
This country residence was built for an industrialist from Nantes in 1899. It comprises a rectangular main building preceded by two semi-octagonal turrets linked by a central bay at the front, on the Loire side, which seem to form a projecting decorative structure. The two-storey villa is almost entirely built of tuffeau limestone on a granite base. The rear section has a four-pitched slate roof. Each of the turrets has a pavilion roof and the central bay, which features a protective Virgin Mary statue in a recess on the facade, is topped by a triangular pediment towering the rear roof. On either side of the central section, two single-storey wings replicate the semi-octagonal shape of the turrets, adding stability and balance to the overall appearance. The decorative window surrounds are of tuffeau limestone. The stone balustrades on the piano nobile were filled in during a previous restoration. The two octagonal roofs of the turrets are supported by a corbelling with large moulded dentils.
The two adjoining guest houses, which come into view just after passing through the entrance gate, have been converted into independent gîtes. They are of rendered schist masonry with brickwork and topped by slate gable roofs. Each house has its own little garden, bordered by a vertically slatted chestnut fence.
The sloping parkland surrounds the residence on both sides. It features a swimming pool with pool house and a large terrace in front of the elevation facing the Loire, before descending down to the perimeter wall. Below the terrace, two rows of centuries-old trees frame an elegant expanse of lawn. Finally, a gate in the perimeter wall provides access to the street leading to the station.
This country residence was built for an industrialist from Nantes in 1899. It comprises a rectangular main building preceded by two semi-octagonal turrets linked by a central bay at the front, on the Loire side, which seem to form a projecting decorative structure. The two-storey villa is almost entirely built of tuffeau limestone on a granite base. The rear section has a four-pitched slate roof. Each of the turrets has a pavilion roof and the central bay, which features a protective Virgin Mary statue in a recess on the facade, is topped by a triangular pediment towering the rear roof. On either side of the central section, two single-storey wings replicate the semi-octagonal shape of the turrets, adding stability and balance to the overall appearance. The decorative window surrounds are of tuffeau limestone. The stone balustrades on the piano nobile were filled in during a previous restoration. The two octagonal roofs of the turrets are supported by a corbelling with large moulded dentils.
The two adjoining guest houses, which come into view just after passing through the entrance gate, have been converted into independent gîtes. They are of rendered schist masonry with brickwork and topped by slate gable roofs. Each house has its own little garden, bordered by a vertically slatted chestnut fence.
The Belle Époque villa
With a total floor area of around 275 m², the double-pile building underwent a complete, state-of-the-art restoration over the last two years.
In front of the residence, affording a spectacular view of the Loire, there is a wide gravel terrace bordered by a wrought-iron balustrade. From here, a wide outdoor staircase with low banisters leads to the parkland down below.
The ground floor
A double flight of approach stairs, flanked by wrought-iron banisters decorated with lion-headed vases, leads from the terrace to the front of the central bay. A double door opens onto a reception room with a bar that leads on one side to a large full-depth sitting room and on the other to a small breakfast room connecting to a large dining room with the kitchen at the back. There is a door behind the bar that opens onto a small hallway leading to all the rooms on the ground floor, including the start of an oak staircase and an exit to the rear of the residence. A large sitting room has been created in one of the turrets.
A contemporary fireplace with closed hearth is set against one of the walls. This room opens onto a passageway leading to a bedroom on one side and a large shower room and lavatory on the other. At the far end, a door provides access to the swimming pool.
As part of the comprehensive renovation of the building, the ground floor has been completely restored using high-end materials: porcelain stoneware flooring with heating system, double-glazed wooden windows, interior joinery, made-to-measure curtains and furniture, high-quality electrical equipment and household appliances. The dining room is equipped with electric roller projector screens. There are mosaic floor tiles featuring the name of the property on the doorsteps.
The first floor
This level only extends over the central section of the villa. The staircase leads to a pitch pine landing with two large bedrooms facing the Loire. Situated in the turrets, they each have an en-suite bathroom with bathtub, shower and toilet, and adjoin two small bedrooms. One of these takes up the central bay on the Loire side, while the other overlooks the rear of the residence. They share a shower room and a lavatory. The flooring on this level is of pitch pine, apart from that of the bathrooms, which have porcelain stoneware tiles.
The attic
With potential for conversion and totalling a floor area of roughly 44 m², the attic is fully insulated and could accommodate an additional bedroom with its own bathroom and toilet, as well as a recreational room, among other possibilities. The feasibility study for this conversion was carried out as part of the restoration work.
The two guest houses
The guesthouse
The first, on the left-hand side of the former stables, comprises on the ground floor a large living room with open-plan fitted kitchen and a shower room with separate lavatory. The flooring is of hardwood. In the living room, an oak staircase leads to a mezzanine bedroom. A glass door opens onto a balcony with an outside staircase leading down to the small garden. A second, separate bedroom is located behind the mezzanine. With sloping ceilings and oak flooring, this level is lit by skylights and oculi. The entire house is in excellent condition, fully equipped and currently used as a gîte sleeping four people.
The guesthouse
Identical in layout to the first, the second guest house is located on the right-hand side of the former stables and is also currently a gîte for up to four people.
The outbuildings
The garage
Located at the top of the plot of land, adjoining the guest houses, the garage measures around 20 m x 4 m and provides easy parking for several vehicles. It is also used as a storage area for furniture from the villa and the terrace during the winter months. It includes a small room housing the boiler and hot water tanks for the guest houses, as well as lavatories and running water. A 10 m x 4 m shed, accessed via a single-leaf door, provides additional storage space.
The awning
On the other side of the guest houses, an outbuilding contains a small closed room used as a workshop with running water, as well as a covered patio with a pizza oven. Built of coursed schist masonry with brickwork, it is topped by a corrugated fibre cement roof. Currently, it serves as a leisure and relaxation area when the weather is fine but could also be turned into a summer kitchen.
The grounds and the swimming pool
The grounds
The grounds extend over roughly 6,000 m². Past the entrance gate at the top of the plot of land, a gravel driveway leads to a space for parking cars alongside the garage and the guest houses. This then runs around a large circular lawn to reach the entrance of the villa. All around, a rich variety of shrubs, yew and laurel trees adorns the upper part of the grounds. On one side of the villa, opposite the kitchen window, a vegetable patch with two large planters borders an aviary and a rabbit hut. On the other side, there is an area dedicated to the swimming pool.
On either side of the vast south-facing terrace, the grounds stretch down to the boundary wall on the Loire side. Steeply sloping, this part of the grounds features a number of centuries-old cedars and a rich variety of plants ensuring abundant blossom throughout most of the year. Finally, following the central axis of the villa, at the foot of the approach stairs leading to the terrace, a gravel path and a flowerbed surround a heart-shaped lawn, affording a wonderful view of the river below.
The swimming pool
Installed on one side of the villa, with a surface area of 32 m² formed by a rectangle measuring 4 x 8 m, the pool is heated by a heat pump and has a retractable roof. A large terrace of exotic wood surrounds the pool coping and extends to a shaded pool house.
Our opinion
An iconic Belle Époque villa, redesigned as both a place to live and a place to stay for memorable holidays. In this idyllic setting, tranquillity meets elegance: omnipresent light streams into the exceptionally spacious interiors, and the terrace, sitting rooms and bedrooms offer magnificent views over the Loire. All these features have been enhanced by the rigorous aesthetic choices made in the course of careful restoration work. In a sought-after town on the banks of the Loire and just a stone's throw from Nantes, the great "Cité des Ducs", the many potential uses of the main and secondary dwellings, accompanied by their valuable outbuildings and surrounded by skilfully designed grounds, put the property in a class of its own in so many ways.
1 980 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 341971
| Land registry surface area | 5755 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 275 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 5 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 150 m2 |
| Number of lots | 1 |
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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.
