A 19th-century house with a walled garden that covers over 2,600m² in a vibrant
village in France’s Pays de Bray province, around 150 kilometres from Paris
village in France’s Pays de Bray province, around 150 kilometres from Paris
Bosc-le-Hard,
SEINE-MARITIME
upper-normandy
76850
FR
Location
In France’s Seine-Maritime department in Normandy, a plateau lies in a commanding position where the country’s charming provinces Pays de Caux and Pays de Bray meet. The River Cailly and the River Varenne flow across this quiet corner of France – a patchwork of farmland, groves and hedge-lined meadows that offers a delightful range of landscapes. The property is tucked away in the middle of a village full of life in Rouen’s surrounding area of influence. Grand dwellings stand beside traditional farmsteads enclosed with rows of trees, yet modern industrial facilities can be found here too. The village is proud of its history and it has built its reputation on the importance of its local area, which produces an abundance of fodder and cereal. The place has been a vibrant hub of trade and travel since at least the 12th century. From the village, many bucolic hikes can be enjoyed along rivers. The ones that go through Verte forest and Eawy forest are just a 15-minute drive away. There are a number of specialist food shops in the village. It lies close to the town of Forges-les-Eaux, which is known for its casino and lake. Moreover, the village is only about 30 kilometres from the city of Rouen and the coastal town of Dieppe. The train station in the town of Clères is a 10-minute drive away. From there, you can get to Paris in just two hours by rail.
Description
The property lies near the market square around which the village has built its long story. The grand dwelling towers in the village centre, standing out from its neighbours, yet it blends into its surrounding environment well. The architecture around it is typically Norman in style, but this does not clash with the property. An age-old magnolia stands in front of the house. On the street side, a thuja hedge marks the property’s entrance. This hedge, which adjoins a fine metal gate, does not conceal the vistas that the dwelling enjoys from its position, set well back from the entrance. The elevations of the majestic house are pure white in colour and this bright tone is brought out by the greenish hue of its guardrails. The pink blooms of hydrangeas adorn the facade’s base course in the summer.
The dwelling dates back to the time of the French king Louis-Philippe I. The first stone was laid in 1839 on land that was formerly a marquisate. Republicans seized the estates of nobles during the French Revolution. Later, in 1825, a law was enacted to compensate nobles who were impacted by this land grab and who had felt forced to flee France during that turbulent period but who had since returned. Yet despite these indemnities, many impoverished nobles were compelled to sell their land. On such estates, the new upper middle classes then started building grand homes, or ‘little chateaux’, like this dwelling. Construction of this house finished in 1846 and the property was handed over as a splendid edifice with a mansard roof, designed in a Louis XV style. The house is built of brick and rendered with a mortar of lime and plaster. It is designed in the so-called Pompadour style of the century before it: the dwelling follows the main architectural and stylistic principles of this trend.
The edifice offers a floor area of around 300m² and stands at the front of its plot. It hides a vast garden behind it: a lawn dotted with trees and enclosed with high walls. Garages, an outbuilding, and a vegetable patch edged with brickwork complete the property. At the back of the plot, a fence demarcates the property.
The dwelling dates back to the time of the French king Louis-Philippe I. The first stone was laid in 1839 on land that was formerly a marquisate. Republicans seized the estates of nobles during the French Revolution. Later, in 1825, a law was enacted to compensate nobles who were impacted by this land grab and who had felt forced to flee France during that turbulent period but who had since returned. Yet despite these indemnities, many impoverished nobles were compelled to sell their land. On such estates, the new upper middle classes then started building grand homes, or ‘little chateaux’, like this dwelling. Construction of this house finished in 1846 and the property was handed over as a splendid edifice with a mansard roof, designed in a Louis XV style. The house is built of brick and rendered with a mortar of lime and plaster. It is designed in the so-called Pompadour style of the century before it: the dwelling follows the main architectural and stylistic principles of this trend.
The edifice offers a floor area of around 300m² and stands at the front of its plot. It hides a vast garden behind it: a lawn dotted with trees and enclosed with high walls. Garages, an outbuilding, and a vegetable patch edged with brickwork complete the property. At the back of the plot, a fence demarcates the property.
The 19th-century house
The facade is punctuated with three bays, each demarcated by pilasters of rectangular dressed stones. The central bay is crowned with a neoclassical pediment that is richly illustrated. The entrance door, flanked with two symmetrical windows, opens beneath an arched fanlight adorned with a mascaron above it. Each of the facade’s two lateral bays have two ground-floor windows. On these two side bays, panels mark the start of the first floor. In the central bay, above the entrance door, three sets of French windows stand behind wrought-iron guardrails. Along the top floor, there are seven windows, three of which stand immediately beneath the sumptuous pediment. Two tall, thick chimney stacks rise up from the slate roof. The rear elevation is less elaborate. Here, an avant-corps protrudes with a pediment that is much simpler than its street-side counterpart. It mirrors the facade’s central bay and is flanked with two single-storey pavilions. A door leads out onto the terrace and garden, which face south-west. The blue tone of the house’s louvred shutters adds a colourful contrast to the white elevations.
The ground floor
The garden-side entrance door leads into a spacious hallway with a floor of old cement tiles patterned with arabesques and flowers. This hall connects to the reception rooms. Dove-grey panelled cupboards line the walls in this hallway. Immediately on the right, an oak spiral staircase with wrought-iron balusters climbs upstairs. Straight ahead from the hallway, a lounge looks out through the facade. On the left there is a dining room. A fitted kitchen lies beyond it. To the right of the lounge, there is a bedroom, a library and an office. There is a service entrance on this level too. The reception rooms connect to each other via glazed doors. The walls are decorated with dado panelling. Herringbone parquet and mosaic cement tiles adorn the floors. Stucco cornices underline the ceilings, on which natural light is cast from many windows fitted with 19th-century stained glass, like some of the doors are too. The reception rooms have fireplaces, one of which is designed in a Louis XVI style.
The first floor
The staircase and the landing connect to a vast central space that leads to three spacious bedrooms and a bathroom. There are many built-in wardrobes and niches in these rooms. Chevron parquet and wood strip flooring extend across them. Some rooms have a marble fireplace beneath a Directoire style trumeau panel. A little renovation and redecoration is needed throughout this first floor.
The second floor
The second-floor landing reflects the landing below it. It leads to an extensive area that requires renovation. Wood strip flooring extends across the floors. There are three former domestic staff bedrooms and a shower room that need to be renovated. On the north side, there is a roof space beneath exposed beams. It offers a floor area of around 25m².
The basement
Stairs lead down to the basement, which is divided into three spaces: a boiler room and two vaulted cellars of brick.
The outbuildings
A little annexe and a larger building at a right angle to this little annexe stand behind the house, on the garden’s north side. They recall the Norman style of the village’s traditional facades: the walls and door lintels are made of red brick and slated gable roofs crown the structures. The wood store’s openings are arched. The utility room’s shutters are painted white. Diamond-shaped and oval-shaped holes in two wooden doors are tokens of yesteryear, when these openings limited the risk of fermentation and fires. Everything here evokes the self-sufficient lifestyles of the 19th century: there is an old laundry, a wood store, a large well, a garden lavatory, showers and storerooms.
The garden
A tree-dotted lawn covers most of the garden. This green backdrop is given touches of colour from pink hortensias, a purple beech, a rhododendron, an age-old magnolia, and an aucuba hedge in front of the southern outer wall. Espalier pear trees grow beside a vegetable patch enclosed with brickwork. A cypress towers by a well. And a linden tree stretches its branches above the terrace.
Our opinion
This delightful 19th-century house reflects the so-called Pompadour style of the 18th century. Its design is never showy, yet it expresses astounding splendour and even a harmonious touch of aesthetic frivolity. The refinement of its materials, the beauty of the shrubs and trees in its garden, and the interior’s generously sized spaces form a coherent whole. Some refurbishing would add a fine finishing touch to this remarkable dwelling. The property’s central location in a village that offers a pleasant lifestyle is another precious asset in this unique gem with a rich past and a bright future.
535 500 €
Negotiation fees included
505 189 € Fees excluded
Reference 831488
| Land registry surface area | 2656 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 296 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 9 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 105 m2 |
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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.
