An 18th-century residence, with 16th-century outbuildings
and a formal garden, in the Loire Valley, near Chinon
and a formal garden, in the Loire Valley, near Chinon
Tours,
INDRE-ET-LOIRE
center-val-de-loire
37000
FR
Location
This property is located in the Loire-Anjou-Touraine natural regional park, in the western part of the Indre-et-Loire area, in a historical village famous for being a regular hunting ground for Louis XI. In addition to the many watermills, washhouses, mansions and manors that the municipality boasts, there are also convenience shops, a weekly market and a 12th-century church, all of which can be reached on foot. The music school and the house of Max Ernst, where the artist and his wife settled in the 1950s, hold conferences, exhibitions and cultural events throughout the year. The town of Chinon is 12 minutes away by car, while Tours and Angers are respectively 45 minutes and 1 hour away. Paris can be reached in 2 hours 15 minutes by train and 3 hours 10 minutes by road.
Description
At the corner of two small streets in the village centre, an ironwork gate framed by two embossed pillars opens into the main courtyard. The property was completed at the end of the 15th century and was destined at the time for collection of land tax for the king. In the middle of the 16th century, it was acquired by the Dreux family who owned it until the French Revolution. Its occupants were in turn an officer of the waterways and forests of Chinon, prosecutor for the bailiwick of the same town and a king's adviser. It was partially burned in 1789, after which the main building was restored in the Directory era style. The three-storey building has a hipped roof dotted with four gable dormers with triangular pediments.
The tuffeau stone façade is topped by a modillon cornice. The many 18th-century bay windows enable light to stream into both sides of the house. The 16th-century outbuildings, found on either side of the house, are also made of tuffeau stone, combining façades of dressed stone and rubble stone. The roofs are made of slate and one of the buildings is topped by a hipped roof with slightly drawn back eaves. In addition to bedrooms and living rooms, the outbuildings contain two plum ovens that are closely linked to the municipality’s history, a bread oven, an orangery and a functioning well. In front of the house, the symmetry of the formal garden provides rhythm to the main courtyard. To the rear, there is a landscaped garden and a swimming pool. At a depth of 12 metres, there is a cellar with many tuffeau stone vaults, the use of which can still be read on the stone. The property stands in a fully enclosed plot of 4,521 m².
The tuffeau stone façade is topped by a modillon cornice. The many 18th-century bay windows enable light to stream into both sides of the house. The 16th-century outbuildings, found on either side of the house, are also made of tuffeau stone, combining façades of dressed stone and rubble stone. The roofs are made of slate and one of the buildings is topped by a hipped roof with slightly drawn back eaves. In addition to bedrooms and living rooms, the outbuildings contain two plum ovens that are closely linked to the municipality’s history, a bread oven, an orangery and a functioning well. In front of the house, the symmetry of the formal garden provides rhythm to the main courtyard. To the rear, there is a landscaped garden and a swimming pool. At a depth of 12 metres, there is a cellar with many tuffeau stone vaults, the use of which can still be read on the stone. The property stands in a fully enclosed plot of 4,521 m².
The main house
The ground floor
A vast entrance hall leads to reception rooms on either side. The dining room is bathed in light, with a tiled floor as well as wood panelled walls, and boasts a fireplace with a black marble mantelpiece topped by a sculpted trumeau mirror painted with floral patterns. This is followed by a lounge with period oakwood flooring. Wainscotting and a wall tapestry frame two bookshelves between which there is a marble fireplace. The patio can be reached through French windows. Facing northeast and southeast, these two dual aspect rooms respectively have surfaces of 32 m² and 40 m². A kitchen next to the dining room opens directly onto a patio at the rear of the house. In the entrance hall, a single-flight quarter-turn staircase flooded with light thanks to a window on the façade climbs up to the upper floors.
The first floor
On one side, the landing leads to two bedrooms, one of which is decorated with toile, has an en suite shower room and boasts views over the grounds. Opposite, a bathroom stands alongside a walk-in wardrobe. On the other side, there is another walk-in wardrobe, a bedroom, with an en suite shower room, and an office next to it.
The attic
This level was a loft which has been converted into two bedrooms, a shower room and a games room. The flooring is made up of terracotta tiles and the roof frame is exposed.
The basement
The cellar can be reached by a flight of steps just in front of the house. 12 metres underground, the entrance passage opens into a succession of tuffeau stone vaults. They were originally carved out for the stone used to construct the buildings before becoming a defensive shelter. Today, there are still seats carved out of the stone on which the occupants sat in waiting. These cellars are ideal for storing wine and organising tastings.
The outbuildings
The east wing
This construction dates from the 16th century and is linked to the main house via a wooden spiral staircase that opens into the residence’s main kitchen on the first level. It includes period features such as a terracotta tiled floor, a tuffeau stone fireplace and a stone sink carved into the thickness of the wall topped by an arch. Today, it is used as a breakfast kitchen for guests. On the first floor, a large bedroom with a pitch pinewood floor, moulded fireplace and stained-glass windows leads, through an arched door, into small rooms with exposed stonework, situated one after another. On the second floor, a bedroom under the ridge of the roof with wood stripped flooring and a shower room paved with travertine stone, has recently been renovated. Following this on the same level are a bedroom and two independent apartments, with terracotta or tiling paved floors, exposed stonework and exposed roof frames.
The west wing
This former barn with a surface of approximately 50 m² has been renovated with special attention paid to the acoustics. It regularly hosts recitals, conferences and seminars. In the adjoining building, a boiler room was installed in 2022 to house a wood pellet fired boiler. A final building extends up to the main house and includes a bedroom with a bread oven and stone sink, another independent bedroom and an orangery, whose windows overlook the garden to the rear.
The gardens
To the front of the house, the main courtyard is made up of a formal garden framed by rows of Japanese yew trees with paths passing between pairs of them. Inside the formal garden, gravelled paths cross through a variety of geometrically shaped boxwood hedges surrounding rose bushes, iris, lavender, rosemary and sage. In the centre, a fountain adorned with vases shaped like horns of plenty draws its water supply from the well. To the rear of the house, there is a landscaped garden, in which the swimming pool is located, extending to the edge of the property, from which views can be enjoyed of the countryside around Tours and the slopes of Chinon.
Our opinion
This property is an authentic, leisurely and elegant country house, full of character, bringing together different eras and whose historical destiny goes hand in hand with that of the former Touraine province. A wonderfully harmonious ensemble unfolds before the eyes on passing through the entrance gate, in which the tender tuffeau stone is juxtaposed against a large formal garden, dotted with Japanese yew trees delicately cut into topiaries. It is ideal for welcoming guests, wine lovers or artists in residence. The estate could also suit a large family seeking space and privacy.
1 100 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 748486
| Land registry surface area | 4521 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 357 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 12 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 545 m2 |
| including refurbished area | 415 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.
