A Charentais house and barns in the Charente region of France
A characterful French house with barns and walled garden in the centre of a small village close to Bordeaux and Cognac
An attractive and versatile property comprising of a Charentaise 'maison de notables' set within a walled courtyard enclosing a range of stone barns, garages, garden room and large garden.
This attractive complex of buildings is ideal for multi-generational living, studios, workshops or commercial premises. The site is huge and versatile - historically, this grand, traditional house was an auberge. More recently is has been run as a successful chambre d’hôtes and there is potential to create gites or Air B&B.
The House
There are two main entrances to the house, one via the courtyard, the other via the main street which brings you into a tiled ground floor entrance with a grand cantilever Napoleon III staircase with crystal and bronze finials. The grand double doorways throughout the house are also of the Napoleon III era.
Kitchen (6.4m x 5m): The newly installed, bespoke kitchen has solid wood hand-made grey units arranged around a Lacanche double range cooker. There is a grand larder and a central island, topped with granite and wood worktops
Beyond the kitchen is a breakfast / family room which was once a haberdashery (4.5m x 5m)
The cellar is a vaulted, ancient space (24 sq m)
There is a second kitchen / utility / cloakroom with French doors leading into the courtyard and an upstairs room, located off the salon.
The salon (11.7m x 5.1m) is a fabulous huge room full of light, ideal for entertaining family and friends
The first floor is home to five bedrooms, one currently being used as a study. There are also two bathrooms.
On the second floor is an unconverted attic of immense proportions (168 sqm). This would make ideal additional accommodation or studio space
The courtyard
Unique to the region, the great feature archway leads in to the courtyard via double wooden gates alongside a smaller pedestrian entrance. The house and a range of original unconverted stone buildings surround the courtyard.
The barns are mainly two storey and are currently in use as workshops with lighting and power. There are also two garages, and a covered area leading to the garden where a useful building can be found which provides a wonderful cool garden room in summer.
Surface area 760 sq m
The garden
Large and long ( 618 sq m) with many fruit trees including cherry, apple, pear, plum, fig. Therer are parterres of flowers and herbs, abundant with shrubs, roses, a vegetable patch.
A garden gate at the far end gives access to the square beyond. There is also a well hiding in the corner.
Location
Located in a central position in the village, the property lies opposite an old chateau and is close to shops and businesses. There is a twice-weekly market, a bar/restaurant and a cafe. Schools and leisure centre are nearby and the village enjoys a busy Franco-Brittanique social calendar throughout the year.
The Charente is a wonderful region full of sunflowers and unspoilt villages, close to the wine region of Bordeaux and Cognac.
