An Art Deco villa from 1935 on three-hectare grounds,
on the banks of the Seine in Normandy, one hour from Paris
on the banks of the Seine in Normandy, one hour from Paris
Herqueville,
EURE
upper-normandy
27430
FR
Location
In the northeast of the Eure department, the property is located within one of the Seine’s meanders, between the towns of Andelys and Le Vaudreuil, while the surrounding countryside is both verdant and peaceful.
As for local shops, they are three kilometres away, whereas the closest supermarkets can be found in both neighbouring towns, 11 kilometres away, which also feature several schools. In addition, the property is one hour from the gates of Paris via the A13 motorway, while Rouen and Evreux are accessible in 30 and 40 minutes, respectively.
Description
The property, accessible via a short lane, neighbours a small village church, recently renovated, while, past an impressive wooden gate flanked on either side by stone walls, the three-hectare grounds, planted with many trees, extend all around a large swath of lawn.
Built in 1935 as the residence for the industrialist Louis Renault’s niece, the two-storey, M-shaped Art Deco villa, with more than 500 m² and constructed out of concrete over a full basement level, features a central structure, erected according to an east-west axis, which is flanked on either side by two perpendicular wings, slightly set back compared to the dwelling’s northern exterior facing the Seine, but projecting forward past the building’s main façade.
In addition, the property also contains two small one-room cottages, including an Anglo-Norman-style edifice built out of wood near the villa and another out of stone, which was used as a billiard room and is the sole vestige of the former 17th-century chateau, whereas the dwelling’s tall Norman tile roofs and soaring chimneys are reminiscent of those found on the neighbouring dwellings.
Built in 1935 as the residence for the industrialist Louis Renault’s niece, the two-storey, M-shaped Art Deco villa, with more than 500 m² and constructed out of concrete over a full basement level, features a central structure, erected according to an east-west axis, which is flanked on either side by two perpendicular wings, slightly set back compared to the dwelling’s northern exterior facing the Seine, but projecting forward past the building’s main façade.
In addition, the property also contains two small one-room cottages, including an Anglo-Norman-style edifice built out of wood near the villa and another out of stone, which was used as a billiard room and is the sole vestige of the former 17th-century chateau, whereas the dwelling’s tall Norman tile roofs and soaring chimneys are reminiscent of those found on the neighbouring dwellings.
The Art Deco Dwelling
The ground floor
An immense foyer, boasting a floor-to-ceiling height of approximately seven metres and bathed in abundant sunlight thanks to a tall, vertical metal-framed window, provides access to a wide marble staircase, while the space also communicates with a triple drawing room, of more than 100 m², boasting a floor-to-ceiling height of 4 metres and a marble floor.
Adjustable using large folding wooden partitions, this room gives on to a wide exterior patio via original sliding glass, metal-framed doors, whereas, on one side of the drawing room, a living room, of approximately 55 m², faces the grounds to the west and features an open, fitted kitchen with a central island and lacquered cupboards. The latter abuts a large bedroom with oak parquet floors, while, on the other side, a bedroom with an Art Deco fireplace is located next to a bathroom as well as a second sitting room with an open kitchen of approximately 45 m².
The upstairs
A landing precedes a bedroom, with more than 60 m² and parquet floors, which includes a study, while the room, overlooking the Seine thanks to its three original metal-framed horizontal picture windows, abuts a bathroom. Four more bedrooms, each with their own adjacent bathroom and ranging from approximately 15 to 20 m² in size, are located on either side of this central bedroom.
The basement
Accessible from the exterior as well as the interior via two staircases, this space is divided into a large wine cellar, a boiler room, a caretaker’s flat with windows and a garage that can accommodate at least 5 vehicles, while a tunnel hollowed out of the rock is a vestige of the former chateau that once stood here.
The Grounds
An Atlas cedar, beeches, limes, horse chestnuts as well as an eastern American black walnut tree surround a large swath of lawn, while several plums and apple trees have been planted in the area near the vegetable garden and a 20-metre-deep masonry well. In addition, yew topiaries precede the lawn located in front of the dwelling’s entrance and a lane lined with boxwoods, 30 metres long, leads all the way to a small pavilion overlooking the Seine, whereas the property also comes with 150 metres of private riverbanks in an area where large boats are authorised to moor.
Our opinion
As soon as they see the hobnails on the entrance gate, adept connoisseurs will recognise that the latter conceals a Renault-style dwelling, characterised by a deft combination of traditional architecture, seen here in its tall roofs, and modern construction techniques, while faithful to the era of its construction, the villa boasts large, sunny rooms primarily looking out towards the landscape.
As a remarkable example of residential Norman architecture from the 1930s, this property boasts wooded grounds, views of the river and surrounding cliffs, as well as many preserved original details, which highlight its rational and refined nature.
Reference 543443
| Land registry surface area | 3 ha 26 a 13 ca |
| Main building floor area | 512 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 7 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 20 m² |
French Energy Performance Diagnosis
Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
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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.
