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Plot Size: 120000 m2
Property Type: House, ChateauEquestrianBelle Demeure
Private Swimming Pool: Yes
Features:
- Pool
- Stream
- Lake
- Garage
- private parking
- Outbuildings
- ADSL
- Well
- detached
- water on site
- electricity on site
This 30 acre estate is accessed by a private road leading out of the village though meadows to a private isolated position with superb views.
On entering the grounds, the courtyard opens up to many outbuildings including the newly re-furbished guest accomodation. There is ample room in the outbuildings for stables and the land is mainly pasture.
The castle originally dates back to the 12th century and was transformed in the 17th century. It is an asymmetrical building, resting in the midst of its moats and is linked to dry land by two stone bridges, a short, solidly built one elading to the courtyard of honour and a second footbridge leading to the gardens. The moat is full of fish which can be seen basking in the sun from the many windows of the castle.. It has French MH classification for its exteriors and also for some of it's internal features. Over several years, it's current owners assisted by companies with "restauration du patrimoine ancien" qualifications and with the approval from the "Batiments de France" have restored this wonderful building to it's former glory.
The inside too has been lovingly restored. Numerous period features remain, including stone fireplaces, parquet floors have been cleaned or replaced using wood from the estate.
There is 550m2 of habitable living space. This includes a large drawing room, library, dining room, smaller informal dining room, kitchen, television room, downstairs bedroom and bathroom, utility room, pantry. Upstairs includes five large bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The outbuildings consist of a guest house of around 160m2 of living space. Seven further outbuildings forming an L shape and remain in their original condition. There is a large open barn opening onto the swimming pool and is used as a pool house and summer reception room. Three other barns, former stables and a wood shed.
The gardens are magnificent, true to the sytle of a castle garden and consist of a large potager, flower gardens, aquatic plants in the moat, a rose garden with 100 year old varieties, a herb garden and a meadow.
There are numerous paddocks suitable for those equestrian dreams.
This property is an historic monument, with all the mod cons for modern day living. It is an absolute joy to visit.
There are three airports within easy reach and large towns close buy for shopping, schools and restaurants.
A truly magical place, worth every penny.
Location in France
 Deux-Sevres is the next departement inland from the Vendee and below the Loire, in the region of Poitou Charente in Western France. It is so named because of the two rivers running through it, the Sevre Nantaise in the north and the Sevre Niortaise in the south. The climate is very similar to that of the Mediterranean with long hot summers, although the winters can be very cold with temperatures dropping below freezing during December and January.
Niort, the department capital, was a Roman town which did extremely well under the Plantagenets, who granted the town a charter and built a stronghold, completed by Richard the Lionheart. In the 18th century the town specialized in tanning skins imported from Canada to make chamois leather for gloves, and it is also known for its angelica. More recently Niort has attracted several large mutual insurance companies, which has bolstered its economy and attracted young people to work there.
Bressuire is known for its major cattle markets, and is the centre of some rich and picturesque scenery used for cattle breeding and rearing, and the landscape is similar to that of rural England or the Dordogne! Melle is a green and florally decorated town that hides its origins as a centre for lead and silver mining, as well as minting coins. Melle was on one of the main routes for pilgrims heading for Compostella in Spain. Parthenay, to the north of Niort, was founded in 1020 on an outcrop above the river, and the medieval town has kept its character.
Poitiers and La Rochelle airports provide easy access to the Departement, with Ryanair flights from Stansted. British Airways offer flights from Gatwick to Nantes, a 2-hour drive away. Cross-channel travelers can reach Deux-Sevres within a comfortable 4 hours' drive from Caen and St Malo, or just over 5 hours from Cherbourg.
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