Location
To the north-east of the Puy-de-Dôme, Riom — once capital of the duchy of Auvergne and today a sub-prefecture — has preserved a strong architectural identity through the many "hôtels particuliers" or townhouses built between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Tour de l'Horloge, formerly the town's belfry, and the Sainte-Chapelle in the Flamboyant Gothic style. Dark volcanic Volvic stone set against light-coloured render gives the streetscape its distinctive character. A dynamic town, sustained in part by the presence of the Hermès manufactory and a dense economic fabric, Riom is easily accessible by road via the A71 motorway and by rail on the Paris–Clermont-Ferrand line. Services, shops and amenities are within walking distance. Clermont-Ferrand is 15 km away.
Description
The main house
Four levels of rubble stone, rendered in ochre lime wash, are articulated by Volvic stone stringcourses. The entrance door has a double lintel surmounted by an arched cornice and wrought-iron tympanum. On the first and second levels, cast-iron balustrades with curved sills on discreet conical corbels frame the Volvic stone window surrounds, treated as chamfered flat arches with segmental profiles. The facade as a whole is faithful to the Riom domestic architecture of the 18th century.
The ground floor
The vaulted corridor leads to the courtyard and to a groin-vaulted room, the ribs springing from Volvic stone piers. To the left, the first section of the house retains its 18th-century ornamentation: foliate mouldings and stucco, Louis XV-style volutes, pine strip flooring. The principal bedroom has a monumental marble fireplace with fluted Louis XV pilasters, fitted wardrobes with carved mouldings and a shell-ornamented niche. It connects to a private shower room of contemporary construction. A second corridor leads to a further bedroom, more intimate in scale, with a stone fireplace. Two double doors give access to a fitted cellar with a pozzolana floor.
The first floor
At the top of the spiral staircase, the kitchen is contemporary, combining timber and granite. A door with carved mouldings opens into the dining room, with a French-style beamed ceiling and a bar area. The drawing room, with chevron parquet, extends the reception sequence. At its centre, a Volvic stone fireplace — its trumeau carved with a flower and foliage motifs — houses a wood-burning stove. Beyond, the library, also with a French-style beamed ceiling, leads to a bedroom with fireplace and cupboards and a balcony overlooking the courtyard. A contemporary bathroom with walk-in shower and twin basins, a lavatory, a storage area and a boiler-utility room complete the level.
The second floor
Accessible by both the spiral staircase and a secondary staircase from the sleeping area, this level comprises three bedrooms with recent parquet flooring, two with French-style beamed ceilings, and a bathroom and lavatory. A conservatory with fireplace and fountain opens onto a large landscaped roof terrace with a tiled floor, timber benches and planted troughs of bamboo, palms, bleeding heart, crape myrtle, roses, honeysuckle and camellias.
The garage
Located close to the townhouse, it provides off-street parking. An additional garage may be rented.
Our opinion
In the heart of a busy town, the house is entirely private — calm, unhurried, unassuming in form and in the way its interior is arranged. Volvic stone, original floors, French-style beamed ceilings and fireplaces provide a framework around which future arrangements can take shape. It could continue as a family home for those who value city convenience alongside genuine tranquillity; it could equally serve as a seasonal rental. The roof terrace garden, with its Asian-inflected planting, completes the picture — a thoroughly authentic and sanctum at the centre of things.
600 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 781573
| Land registry surface area | 307 m² |
| Main building floor area | 275 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 6 |
| Number of lots | 20 |
French Energy Performance Diagnosis
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.