The property lies just a stone’s throw from the village’s picturesque square and paved streets. The dwelling and its garden stretch alongside the River Trieux. You reach the house via an elegant wrought-iron gate that takes you onto a long riverside balcony, which leads up to an old stone bench. The house’s year of construction is engraved on a wall here. You can admire a sweeping view of several traditional riverside washhouses, which are often embellished with flowers in spring and summer. Passersby can also admire these quaint washhouses on boat rides from a nearby quay. There are many shops along the neighbouring street. On this street, each old house with exposed stonework or timber framing bears witness to the town’s rich past. There used to be a street-facing shop in the edifice, which was entirely renovated in 2010 to become a home. At the back, the property includes an industrial-style building, a court and a garden, though they are separated by a tall wall. You reach these parts from the street, via an adjoining house.

The house

The house is rectangular in shape and crowned with a hipped slate roof that gently flares out at the bottom. The street-side end is entirely made of granite ashlar. Large small-paned windows punctuate the facade. The first-floor windows have balconies with wrought-iron balustrades. This balconies rest upon ornamental corbels. In the wall there is a niche dedicated to Saint Ivo. A dormer with an arched pediment, mouldings and sculpted volutes stands above the facade. On the ground floor, two greyish-blue wooden shutters add a touch of elegance. The riverside elevation stretches a long way. It is made of rubble granite and ashlar with neat window surrounds. Four dormers with triangular pediments punctuate the roof and many tall, broad windows with small panes dot the elevation. There is also a tiny bull’s-eye window in the wall.

The ground floor
The entrance hall has kept its granite floor slabs dating back to the time of construction. It connects to a lavatory, to a bedroom with an en-suite shower room, and to a lounge with a kitchen. Pale Burgundy stone slabs adorn the floors of the different rooms. And exposed beams, some of which are imposing and monumental in size, add true character to the interior, as do the walls of exposed stonework with lime pointing. The rooms are spacious. The lounge features a granite fireplace in which a pellet-burning stove could be installed. The kitchen is fully fitted. An arched doorway leads out onto a granite terrace that takes you straight to two quaint riverside washhouses. The general atmosphere on the ground floor is hushed. Stonework is showcased through niches, steps and columns. Exposed timber can be seen everywhere too, sometimes painted in a greyish tone and sometimes left in its raw state. Several windows are fitted with indoor wooden shutters.

The first floor
A straight staircase leads up to the first floor. The first steps are made of granite. Higher up, there are wooden steps. At the top of the stairs, there is a landing, From here, a corridor connects, on one side, to two spacious, high-ceilinged bedrooms filled with natural light. White and grey hues dominate in the panelling, ceilings and indoor wooden shutters and in the sculpted mantel of a former fireplace. The windows offer views of the ornamental garden and the neighbouring river. The master bedroom has a floor of rush matting for a natural touch. On the other side of the landing, a small corridor leads to a lounge with solid-wood strip flooring. This lounge features a fireplace with a finely sculpted wooden mantel and a hearth of terracotta tiles. Wooden panelling adorns the walls. You can look down at the street from here. There is a bathroom with a separate lavatory on this floor too. Its white fittings create an elegant contrast with red-toned partition walls.

The second floor
You reach the second floor via a straight wooden staircase from one of the rooms on the first floor. A corridor with a floor of terracotta tiles connects to two bedrooms, one of which has an en-suite bathroom and a cathedral ceiling. Next, there is a linen room, a lavatory and a storeroom in the roof space. Wood can be seen everywhere in the decor. Half-glazed doors with large panes and old-style fastening mechanisms separate the different spaces up here. And cupboards and alcoves are fitted here and there.