From a cul-de-sac near the town centre, an earthen track by a stream takes you through a monumental gate to the property’s different buildings, which stand on both sides of a vast rectangular court. An earthen terrace covering around one hectare looks out over the grounds, which are made up of meadows and woods. The grounds stretch eastwards and southwards up to a small lake. Trees dominate the beautiful view. Treetops underline the sky. A tall stone wall closes the courtyard on its west side. Two gates lead into the court. There is a main entrance gate on the east side. It is framed between two sculpted stone pillars and wrought-iron railings. The secondary entrance is on the north side, between a guesthouse and an industrial-style building. And the traditional country house, with its extensions that protrude slightly, close the courtyard on its south side. An imposing square dovecote stands beside the house. This dovecote is built in exactly the same way as an old dovecote that used to stand here. The traditional country house that you can see here today was probably built upon the foundations of a former fortification that was surrounded by water-filled moats and destroyed in the 16th century by Protestant troops. The edifice is made up of a central section with only a ground floor. This central section is crowned with a two-slope roof of barrel tiles. It is framed between two pavilions, which are taller and each have a first floor. Each pavilion is crowned with a hipped roof of flat tiles. At each end, there is a wing with a mansard roof and arched dormers. Most of the house is made of rubble stone, with ashlar used for the window surrounds and quoins, but the west pavilion’s first floor stands out for its half timbering filled in with flat bricks and pointing.

The traditional country house

The ground floor
The interior is bathed in natural light from many windows and doors in wooden frames. Nine of these openings lead straight outside. The ground floor has dual-aspect rooms with underfloor heating. Most of these rooms connect to each other. There are touches of comfort everywhere. The renovation project has reached its final stage of finishes. The east pavilion and its extension house the main entrance hall, which has a floor of beautiful stone slabs and a magnificent spiral stone staircase with an open axis. The hall connects to service rooms and to a new fitted kitchen that leads to a dining room and a covered terrace. The central section is made up of a single, long rectangular room with a floor area of around 105m² and a French-style beamed ceiling. It could serve as a lounge, a reception room, a ballroom or even a restaurant. You reach it straight from the courtyard via a door in a porch with an antique pediment and columns. The walls are insulated from inside, except in the south wall, where the stonework has been left exposed. At each end of the room, there is a stone fireplace with a sculpted chimney breast. Metal and glass doors add a contemporary touch. In the west pavilion, there is a lounge with a Louis XIV style fireplace and a bedroom with a shower room and lavatory, all with terracotta-tiled floors.

The upstairs
The first floor of the west pavilion is entirely dedicated to a master suite. It has underfloor heating and insulation. A mezzanine and walk-in wardrobe have been created here and the old roof beams, fireplace and timber framing of the internal walls have been left visible. The adjoining bathroom has a bathtub, a shower, two separate washbasins and a separate lavatory, all beneath new, exposed beams. You reach the first floor of the east pavilion via the spiral staircase in the entrance hall. Up here, a mezzanine landing connects to a bedroom with exposed beams and to a second bedroom with a separate lavatory and a shower room to be completed, as well as a high-ceilinged room. Wood strip flooring covers the floors, which are soundproofed and heated.

The dovecote
The dovecote is square with a hipped roof of flat tiles. It is punctuated with many windows and platforms from which pigeons can fly away. This dovecote was built in exactly the same way, according to historical sources, as an old dovecote that once stood on the same spot, outside the court with a view down over the grounds. The interior is still in a raw state and could be converted however you wish. It is easy to imagine here a workshop, a well-being space, a stable or a small self-contained dwelling with a first floor.

The annexes edging the courtyard

The guesthouse
The guesthouse stands between the grounds and the courtyard. It is a traditional house. A terrace with flowers embellishes it. The dwelling has a separate garden. An unusual three-slope roof of barrel tiles crowns the house, which offers a liveable floor area of around 190m² across a single ground floor. Its lounge, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms and two bathrooms are positioned around corridors and central hallways fitted with cupboards and storage spaces. The dwelling’s arched window frames, terracotta tiles, exposed joists, spacious reception rooms and majestic fireplace in the lounge give this guesthouse timeless character.

The outbuilding
This industrial-style outbuilding was built in the 20th century. It offers a floor area of around 390m². The building is divided into two sections today, yet with its Eiffel-style metal structure it could easily be transformed into a single space. With its concrete base, this outbuilding can be used to store equipment or park vehicles in a dry environment that is in good condition. The building could also be renovated.