A vast and luminous 19th-century house, its grounds and beautiful valley views
in the Lot department near a village, 20 kilometres away from Cahors
in the Lot department near a village, 20 kilometres away from Cahors
Mercuès,
LOT
midi-pyrenees
46090
FR
Location
In one of the meanders of the Lot River, 20 kilometres from Cahors and 1.5 hours from Toulouse as well as Brive-la-Gaillarde, extends a natural area with ecological, faunal and floristic interest, composed of forests and various environments with shrub-like vegetation. In this remarkable natural environment, exist vestiges from the 2nd century as well as historical monuments from the 13th and 14th centuries. The town has all essential facilities: shops, services, medical centres, elementary and middle schools, a water sports centre, as well as a co-working space. The construction of a golf course is also planned in the area. Located on the northern slope of the Lot River, like other beautiful neighbouring properties, while still remaining separate and hidden, the house, built on a hill, has an exceptional panoramic view of the valley and river.
Description
The property is easily accessible from the departmental road. A private driveway weaves between trees, bamboo and Mediterranean plants, runs alongside a high stone retaining wall, before finally terminating in front of the house. A parking area is available in the shade of the bamboo and, around a well, a circular space facilitates vehicle manoeuvres. To the left, a runoff collection pond is covered in water lilies.
Built at the end of the 3-hectare contiguous property, the house, surrounded by gravel patios, is first visible from its west gable end.
To the north, there is a dovecote, separated from the house by approximately ten metres, and trellis gardens that are supported by dry stone walls. Here, the view takes in the forested hill, while to the south, the elegant façade, with its wrought-iron banister, has a wrap-around balcony on the first floor, connecting two covered patios decorated with stone columns, as well as wisteria and other climbing plants on the garden level. Numerous tall windows bathe the interior in light.
The property occupies a side of the hill and the house, due to the site’s natural slant, has a ground floor on the north side that corresponds with the first floor on the south side. Each slope has its own double door entrance crowned with a glazed fanlight. The stone stairs and walkways in the back of the house lead to the swimming pool located on a patio between sky and foliage. Here, the view proposes a 180° breath-taking panorama, buttressed to the north by the protection of the hill.
The grounds are made up of wooded areas, pathways and grassy spaces. The whole has a Mediterranean feeling and is decorated with several flowering plants and stone and metal ornaments.
Built at the end of the 3-hectare contiguous property, the house, surrounded by gravel patios, is first visible from its west gable end.
To the north, there is a dovecote, separated from the house by approximately ten metres, and trellis gardens that are supported by dry stone walls. Here, the view takes in the forested hill, while to the south, the elegant façade, with its wrought-iron banister, has a wrap-around balcony on the first floor, connecting two covered patios decorated with stone columns, as well as wisteria and other climbing plants on the garden level. Numerous tall windows bathe the interior in light.
The property occupies a side of the hill and the house, due to the site’s natural slant, has a ground floor on the north side that corresponds with the first floor on the south side. Each slope has its own double door entrance crowned with a glazed fanlight. The stone stairs and walkways in the back of the house lead to the swimming pool located on a patio between sky and foliage. Here, the view proposes a 180° breath-taking panorama, buttressed to the north by the protection of the hill.
The grounds are made up of wooded areas, pathways and grassy spaces. The whole has a Mediterranean feeling and is decorated with several flowering plants and stone and metal ornaments.
The House
The house was built over three levels: the garden level with cellar and garage, the ground floor with the living areas and first floor with the bedrooms. Built in the 19th century, the original edifice sets the tone with its wrap-around balcony on the southern façade, which provides character and elegance to the architectural whole. The stone columns and immense original fireplace attest to the sought after grandeur for this home. The house, enlarged over time, now has a vast cathedral living room. The roof, in good condition, is covered in Roman tiles, while the house’s structure is perfectly sound, built on top of the hill's rock as demonstrated by the rocky outcrops at the bottom of the garden level walls. The house is truly one with its environment, and in more ways than one.
The ground floor
The large entrance hall traverses the house along a north-south axis. On the west side, it leads to three rooms: a small living room, a television room and a bedroom. An artist studio and a laundry room complete this level. On the east side, it provides access to two bedrooms and their shower room, an office, a semi-open kitchen and a cathedral living room with mezzanine. All the rooms have outside access: tall French doors open onto the wrap-around balcony in the bedrooms and office and onto the covered patio in the kitchen and living room. The latter also has garden access, in the back of the house, via a magnificent arched door.
The upstairs
This has four bedrooms each with an en-suite shower room or bathroom. A space currently left as an attic space and the game room on the mezzanine overlooking the large living room completes this floor.
The garden-level floor
This represents a “technical” level with several cellar spaces, the boiler room and the garage.
The Dovecote
A square stone edifice, separated from the house by about ten metres and crowned with a hipped roof covered in flat tiles, it was built over two levels and has two entrances from the outside (one per floor). Two bedrooms and a shower room have been created in this space.
The Grounds
These extend over 3 contiguous hectares and are made up of several parcels connected with one another by pathways and stone staircases. Located on the hill’s slope, they provide walkers with splendid panoramas and the feeling of strolling through a Mediterranean garden or landscape so dear to Marcel Pagnol, planted with pines, oaks, brooms and various shrubs under which cicadas hide in the summer.
The unused lands
A little less than one hectare composed of several lots, separated by about 800 metres from the grounds and house.
The Swimming Pool
Designed and built by the current owners who wanted it to be perfectly integrated into the landscape with a spectacular, unfettered view, the swimming pool is a genuine lagoon surrounded by a light grey elastomer patio, perfectly coordinated with the hill’s stone. However, this material requires a renovation. The chlorine filtering system is functional.
Our opinion
A calm environment and an exceptional natural setting with easy-to-maintain grounds in a town with all essential services and commodities: everything contributes to transforming this property into a cocoon that makes daily life sweet and pleasant. Everywhere, the view is fantastic, plunging into the valley on the south side, and ascending the hill on the north side. The southern orientation of the house provides maximum sunshine and takes advantage of the hill’s protection to the north. With two separate entrances, three living rooms, nine bedrooms and an office, it can be adapted to different types of living and uses. A few minutes from here, Cahors, with its heritage, gardens and red wine, adds nonstop entertainment nearby to the pleasure of this property’s tranquillity.
634 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 229685
| Land registry surface area | 4 ha 12 a 14 ca |
| Main building surface area | 407 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 8 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 34 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.
