An 18th century country residence, with outbuildings and a terraced
garden, in the Eure Valley, near to the medieval town of Bernay
garden, in the Eure Valley, near to the medieval town of Bernay
Bernay,
EURE
upper-normandy
27300
FR
Location
The town is located in the Eure, on the edge of the Pays d’Ouche area, within the sector of Berney and near to Bec-Hellouin abbey, with the Charentonne River, a tributary of the Eure River, running through it. It is typified by its rural heritage and the early industrial activities that used to be carried out here. It was originally settled in Gallic times but developed thanks to its geographic location at the crossroads of strategic trade routes. Though discrete in nature, the town is nevertheless steeped in history and witnessed major upheaval, especially during the French Revolution. The mansion from which the former fiefdom was governed only escaped being burned down during the Great Fear in the summer of 1789 when the father of a famous 19th century author handed over its archives to the rioters. Attracted by the living environment, two illustrious engineers and physicists, one of whom won the Nobel Prize in Physics, took up residence here in the 19th and 20th centuries. The town, with its bucolic half-timbered houses, still possesses its old-fashioned charm and is as picturesque as the rest of this part of Normandy with its castles, churches, convents and abbeys. It stands in a pastoral environment of thousand-year-old rural landscapes on the edges of vast Natura 2000 classed wooded expanses. Food shops and local services can be found in the small but lively town centre. The regional train network passes via the station in Bernay 10 km away and means Caen and Rouen can be reached quickly. Paris Saint Lazare is 1 hour 30 minutes away by train and the nearest junction for the A28 motorway is just several kilometres away.
Description
The house, which was once an integral part of the stronghold of a family of marshals, stands on a street which has not lost its delightfully old-fashioned atmosphere. Characterised by its Transition era ambiance, the house is a short walk from the shops and the church. It was built between 1760 and 1770 and is a valuable piece of heritage among the buildings belonging to this family from the knighted nobility, to which Louis XV granted, in the 1750s, a hereditary title in Normandy as a reward for the military prowess of a duke and marshal who distinguished himself in the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763). The house was built on the upper part of a plot measuring more than 390 m². The garden is perfectly adapted to the slope of the land and set out in terraces, at the bottom of which stands an outbuilding. A hangar and a garage are located on a space adjacent to the main plot. A wall surrounds all of these elements, leaving the impression of nestling in a garden space with beautiful views all around of several other houses, old farm buildings, the hills and, further away, the countryside as far as the eye can see.
The house
It is built according to a massed floor plan, based on solid foundations that embrace the slope of the plot on the garden side. The pointed sleeper wall is made of locally quarried stone. The main façade looking onto the street has scarcely changed in appearance since it was built. The Louis XV style carved wooden door, crowned with a brick awning, sets the tone for the entire edifice. The four small paned windows all have single-leaf shutters. The five windows on the second storey are aligned with those on the ground floor and the door. Two dormer windows bathe the top floor with natural light. The four-sided roof made of local tiles is framed by two brick chimneys on either side. The lavender blue coloured windows, shutters and doors strike a harmonious contrast with the brown half-timbering that in turn stands out from the pale ochre lime-washed rendering. The rear façade is very similar to the one at the front, except that there is a double staircase leading down to the terraced garden. However, the two upper storeys differ from the street facing façade thanks to the presence of three windows and three dormers, which are wooden blind gable dormers.
The ground floor
Thanks to the hall running from the street facing façade through to the garden side, the layout makes it easy to enjoy the two large rooms on either side. Remarkably, the staircase still has its original Louis XV era wrought iron scroll balustrade. The floor is made up of burnished red terracotta tiles, apart from in the lounge, which boasts a 19th century honey coloured chevron patterned wooden floor. Though modernised, the two rooms still possess their Louis XV style soft stone fireplaces. Above the one in the lounge, there is a mercury trumeau mirror. On the fireback, the year 1778 is inscribed, denoting the date when the house was built or when the first renovation work was carried out. There is wainscotting throughout the lounge and sculpted wood panelled Trianon grey cupboards add a touch of class to the room. Thanks to their raised position in relation to the garden, the windows from these rooms provide fine views of the woods nearby. The ground floor also includes alcoves and a toilet.
The first floor
A beige coloured carpet covers the quarter-turn staircase, which leads to a landing with walls painted in midnight blue coloured lacquer. The two bedrooms on either side are laid out in the same way as the level below and are decorated in a similar fashion: chevron patterned wooden flooring, 18th century fireplaces and Louis XV panelled wainscotting and cupboards. To complete this level, there are two renovated shower rooms, one of which is situated at the end of the central hallway.
The second floor
This level has been recently restored in harmony with the lower floors. The landing is also used as a mezzanine. A central hallway leads to two bedrooms in the converted attic space. Throughout this level, the flooring is made up of old rectangular terracotta tiles and the beams on the ceiling are exposed. The doors as well as the latches on them date back to the 18th century.
The landscaped garden and outbuilding
The entrance to the garden, which covers around 390m², is via the double staircase that leads down onto the first terrace made up of an old stone patio. In the brick walls of the staircase and lower part of the garden façade, three solid core doors lead into the cellar, with one in the centre and two on either side. The lower level of the garden, which strictly speaking is the essence of this outdoor space, can be reached via a second staircase and is laid out around a paved stone path. A small one storey 19th century building stands at the bottom of the garden. It probably housed toilets yesteryear but has been renovated. It could be used as accommodation for guests. Between this building and the terrace, there is a lawn bordered by old rose trees with delicately coloured pink, cream and yellow flowers. The garden walls are lined by an imposing magnolia tree and shrubs.
Our opinion
This 18th century country residence is extremely elegant, just like the velvet taffeta mouches probably worn on the cheeks of the noble ladies in the family to which it belonged. This half-timbered house’s curious awning resembling a conversation chair hints at a certain aristocratic appeal. It is not parsimonious with the surprises it holds in store and both of its façades are delightful. Indeed, since its construction under the reign of Louis XV, it has not suffered from the passage of time. It has since been fully renovated to the highest professional standards to meet the needs of modern life, yet its old-fashioned charm has been successfully maintained. The house stands in bucolic and rolling countryside and is an essential part of the heritage of this pretty part of Normandy.
390 000 €
Negotiation fees included
360 000 € Fees excluded
Forfait de 30 000 € TTC at the expense of the purchaser
Reference 964384
| Land registry surface area | 1031 m2 |
| Main building surface area | 121 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 2 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 40 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.
