A 19th-century Provence farmhouse requiring restoration, in 1.2 hectares of land planted with olive trees,
in Le Beausset, overlooking the countryside and valleys up to the sea
in Le Beausset, overlooking the countryside and valleys up to the sea
Beausset,
VAR
provence-cote-dazur
83330
FR
Location
This property is located in the southwest of the Var area, to the northwest of Toulon at an altitude of almost 300 metres, overlooking the surrounding countryside and relief towards the sea, with unbeatable views to the southwest. It stands approximately 4 kilometres from the centre of Le Beausset, a town with a population of 10,000 and all the necessary amenities. The large beach at Sanary-sur-Mer can be reached in around 20 minutes and the city of Toulon, the Var area’s administrative centre with a population of 500,000, is approximately 30 minutes away by car, with facilities typical of a large conurbation and high-speed TGV trains to Paris. Marseille international airport can be reached in approximately 1 hour by car via the coastal A50 and A55 motorways.
Description
The property is spread over 1.2 hectares of terraces, planted with tall trees and approximately fifty olive trees. The house occupies the upper part of the plot. With approximately 190 m² of living space, it is mainly oriented east-west and is made up of three parts from different periods, all with gabled roofs made of flat tiles with aligned ridge caps and stone walls protected by rendering. The buildings are flanked by former pigsties at a right angle to the house. A clearing including a patio lies in front of the house to the south, while a private lane to the north runs past it to a promontory offering spectacular views westwards. The dwelling was built in 1892 with 60-cm thick walls and was extended in the 20th century including the elevation and roofing of a former barn in the eastern part of the buildings.
It is currently situated in a listed natural zone but can still be extended if necessary by approximately 60 m² more.
The farmhouse is currently divided into two apartments, with a total of no less than seven bedrooms. However, several configurations are possible. The roof of the older part to the west could be raised to provide the same ceiling height as in the more recent section.
Lastly, the land has a well and is linked to the Canal de Provence.
It is currently situated in a listed natural zone but can still be extended if necessary by approximately 60 m² more.
The farmhouse is currently divided into two apartments, with a total of no less than seven bedrooms. However, several configurations are possible. The roof of the older part to the west could be raised to provide the same ceiling height as in the more recent section.
Lastly, the land has a well and is linked to the Canal de Provence.
The Provence farmhouse
It is currently divided into two separate dwellings. The first includes the patio level and the western portion of the upper floor, while the second apartment is located in the eastern section of the upper floor, including a part of the older building and the more recently extended portion. It is not long since the last occupants vacated the house and most of the living rooms have been paved with white tiling over time. The walls are painted white and the old wooden windows have been replaced by PVC windows, patio doors or French windows. Individual electric radiators provide heating for the house.
The garden-level floor
All the rooms can be reached from the patio to the south. A kitchen occupies the western part of this level, from which a masonry staircase leads upstairs. The kitchen leads into the lounge, which has a stone fireplace with a wooden mantelpiece. The room is bathed in light through the large patio door. On this level, there is also a shower room with lavatory and a bedroom. Lastly, there is an outhouse, which can only be reached from the outside, dating from the era when the house was a farm.
The upstairs
The staircase leads directly to a first bedroom with a balcony boasting a broad and dominant view. A door leads into a large bedroom with two windows opening to the south. It was previously linked to the eastern part of the upper level via a door which has since been blocked off. The last bedroom, which occupies the northern part of this level, can be reached through the inside of the house or via its own outside door, which opens into the grounds thanks to the slope of the land.
The second apartment has two entrances on the eastern side, one via the lounge and the other through the open-plan kitchen / dining room. The lounge is flooded with light thanks to French windows to the east and two windows to the south. The kitchen is located in the northern part and from the dining area a small flight of steps descends to an intermediate level with two bedrooms to the south, a shower room at the end of a small corridor and a separate lavatory. Lastly, from the same room, a small staircase leads to the third bedroom in the apartment on a mezzanine, bathed in light thanks to a skylight on the southern part of the roof.
The outbuildings
They are mainly made up of an outhouse adjoining the main building and a former pigsty made of stone, to the east of the patio at a right angle to the house, comprising four sections that are today used for wood storage and separated in the middle by a small flight of stone steps that lead up to the terrace above, on which a stone hut has been consolidated but would benefit from restoration. Lastly, nearby in the corner of the property, there is a metal garden hut.
The grounds
The property’s land is made up of a large, 200-metre by 60-metre strip running from north to south. From the entrance to the property in the northeast corner, an earthen track runs past the north of the farmhouse to a promontory that overlooks the valley to the west, while another track bends round down to the southern patio, providing easy access to the lower level of the house. A path paved with old stones runs down from the promontory to the house on its western side, past an old stone oven. A more modern patio stands next to the southern part of the building and a large cypress tree stands in front of the middle of the façade, followed by a hedge of bay that provides shade, even if it does somewhat obscure the view on the eastern part of the residence. The land carries on to the southwest, shaped like an amphitheatre surrounded by dry stone terraces on which approximately fifty olive trees are planted. Further on, at the western edge of the property, there are several pines and other tall trees. Lastly, a stone well is located directly at the foot of the patio.
Our opinion
This Provence farmhouse is typical of the period in which it was built, in the late 19th century, even if it has since undergone several extensions and refurbishments. At the end of the drive, in a peaceful setting with rare, broad and almost unending views over the valley towards the sea, it benefits from a special, exceedingly green environment. All that remains to be done is to bring the building in line with modern tastes in order to enjoy the small piece of paradise it forms. It is a microcosm of what is simple, pure and essential, in the middle of nature without being isolated, since the bustling life of the coast can be reached in 20 minutes by car.
840 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 669676
| Land registry surface area | 1 ha 20 a 15 ca |
| Main building surface area | 190 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 7 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 60 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.
