An 18th-century artist’s residence, in the heart of a historical Puisaye area village,
2 hours from Paris, in the Yonne area
Auxerre, YONNE burgundy 89000 FR

Location

This house is located in the southwest of the Yonne area, approximately 40 km from Auxerre, in the centre of a lively historical village of the Puisaye sector, boasting a primary school, several restaurants and convenience stores, including a bakery and a grocery, open all year round. The nearest railway station, with trains to Paris-Bercy, is 20 minutes away from the house.
The village is situated at the crossroads of several major Roman roads. It suffered from the conflicts of the Hundred Years War and later, to protect itself from attacks, it was fortified around 1500 to combat the growing threat of the Huguenots. There are still several remains which can be seen in certain cellars in the village, including the property’s basement.

Description

Undulating and diverse in nature and comprising forests, wooded fields and ponds, in the surrounding countryside there stands a village made up of stone houses typical of the Puisaye area.
One of them lies opposite a vast public square. Two large pillars mark the former entrance to the property, which is now a passage to parking spaces. A small gate leads onto a patio, surrounded by abundant vegetation, in front of the house.
The edifice dates back to 1757 and, for the last fifteen years, belonged to famous French film and theatre actor Michel Bouquet.
He came here to work on his many scripts or dramatic texts as well as to see friends and family.
This large, two-storey stone edifice is most definitely eye-catching. The lower part of the façade is dotted with several windows and doors with ashlar frames as well as green painted wooden shutters. The small-paned glazed wooden doors topped by fanlight windows help to bathe the interior in light. Finely crafted guard-rails adorn some of the windows on the upper level. The half-hipped roof, dotted with several skylights including a very imposing one, is made of flat Burgundy tiles and is still in very good condition. Two old pillars mark out an entrance to the property, through which there is a space where vehicles can be parked. Behind wrought-iron railings, there is a patio, a woodshed and a set of steps dating back several hundred years that lead to the house’s old cellar.
The property also has a non-adjoining garden of approximately 600 m², in which there is a single-level stone outbuilding.

The house


The ground floor
Like many country houses, this one possesses several entrances. One of them leads directly into a large kitchen, bathed in light, with two doors, one opening towards the village and the other onto the patio. The first door is made of wood and topped by a fanlight window with a wooden lozenge-shaped frame, while the second is glazed and boasts an identical fanlight window. Furthermore, two windows look out onto the surrounding vegetation. The room boasts exposed beams and joists, which complement the period terracotta tiled flooring. The frames of the openings on each side are made of large white limestone blocks which contrast nicely with the walls made of pointed rubble stone.
A small flight of stone steps leads to a hallway, boasting the same architectural characteristics, off which there is a first bedroom. It stands out from the other rooms on this level thanks to original features, including a former alcove opening that can be made out on one of the walls due to the vertical arrangement of some of the stones. The window frame in this room is also made of white ashlar stone. On another wall, bricks in a herringbone pattern, interspersed with stones, form a small semi-circle. It is possible that this was where a bread oven or a chimney was previously located.
On returning to the corridor, another original element enhances the centuries-old, exposed beams: a wooden pillar, with a strut, that rests on a stone pedestal. The corridor opens into a large dual aspect room used as a lounge and dining room, with a floor made up of Burgundy stone slabs and period terracotta tiles. There is also a fireplace with an open hearth and a stone mantelpiece, plus a large-paned glazed door, topped by a delicate transom through which light streams into the room. This door opens onto the patio. On one of the walls, it is possible to make out a former opening.
Thanks to light that pours through the many windows on this level, the colours of the different original elements it houses change according to the time of day. A wooden double-leaf door stands out from the white wall and leads into a fully tiled and restored shower room with a lavatory.
Lastly, a straight, wooden staircase with a balustrade leads upstairs.
The upstairs
At the top of the staircase, there is an immense lounge with a spectacularly high exposed roof frame. An imposing, double glazed skylight, through which natural light floods the room, stands near to a window with a wooden frame that looks onto the roof framing in the adjoining rooms. This lounge is a welcoming and original room, boasting a functional, black, cast-iron wood burning stove. The wooden, large-stripped flooring echoes a medieval, solid wooden door reinforced by stud nails, which opens into an office space with wood stripped flooring, overlooked by a mezzanine on which there is a bedroom. This space is also unique and houses a small construction with an octagonal roof, in which there is a bathroom with terracotta tiling and stone walls, with an adjoining lavatory. An opening with an ashlar frame leads into the second bedroom on this level. Bathed in light, it houses an alcove that has been fitted out with bookshelves. On returning to the office space, a straight staircase climbs up to the last bedroom, which is flooded with light through the skylights, highlighting the purlin roof frame.

The cellar

Outside the house, just in front of one of its entrances, a flight of stone steps leads down to the almost 15-m² vaulted cellar with an earthen floor. This cellar plays host to remains of the past, namely a part of the village’s former fortifications that served to protect the inhabitants during the Wars of Religion.

The garden and outbuilding

A small, non-adjoining garden can be found not far from the house. In this garden stands an almost 16-m² stone outbuilding with original terracotta tiled flooring and exposed roof beams. There are several fruit trees, including apple, quince and hazelnut trees. A swimming pool could be installed in this garden if the future occupants so wish.

Our opinion

This country house is in a pleasant setting to live and is still imbued with the soul of the performer who lived here, a famous French actor who gave voice, among many others, to the lines of Commissioner Javert in Les Miserables. It is a peaceful place and stands out thanks to its simplicity, well-crafted authenticity and discreet rustic elegance. It has been restored to the highest standards and with the utmost taste, meaning future occupants will have no work to worry about.
In the cellar, the property contains remains of the fortified walls that once protected the village. During the summer, its occupants can take advantage of its nearby garden, with small outbuilding. Though its slight distance from the dwelling could be seen as a minor drawback, thanks to a certain amount of inventiveness, this could be overcome or even transformed into a quality.

Exclusive sale

330 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense


See the fee rates

Reference 393080

Land registry surface area 662 m2
Main building surface area 186 m2
Number of bedrooms 3
Outbuilding surface area 10 m2

French Energy Performance Diagnosis

Consultant

Isabelle Ponelle +33 1 42 84 80 85

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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.

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