dreaming of a chateau

I thought that for the weekend we could all do with a little something to dream about.

This property has recently come up for sale, it's less than an hour west from us, deeper into Normandy.  A medium sized château and typical of the style around here, built in brick and stone.  It has beautiful grounds, stunning outbuildings, a pool and a lake!

So let's pretend we have 8 million $ to invest with,  what will it bring us?.  Listen carefully and I'll tell you .....for that bargain price, Sotheby's is offering us a pretty 17th century château ...

 that we can admire from the front and the back

(can't you just see those steps and lawn being perfect for a big summer ball!)

.....11 bedrooms with beds of all shapes and sizes,...... 

(I grabbed this one, so you'll have to look further down the hall)

.......8 bathrooms too.....

(If you need to bring a governess with you, don't worry she gets her own quarters.)

we'll have ornate plaster work on the walls and ceilings, 

and carved stone decorations on the façade

..... we get a massive hall, and four large reception rooms including a real library....

in the grounds of the house we have a pool - complete with  thatched pool house,
a stable block,  a 17thC dovecote, a 19thC guest house,
  a caretaker's house and a Norman manor.  

(now that's a real relief because I'd hate us to fill squashed in there
when friends come to visit!)

we could take afternoon tea on the terrace

(this, by the way, is my favourite shot)

 ...... and when the weather is fine we can walk (all day) around the extensive
300 acre property, and even check on the duck's eggs in the laying
baskets that will  have been carefully positioned by our gamekeeper.....

 Sotheby's rather touchingly labels this a 'luxury single family' property.  
One assumes, this is because - once you've lodged the army of staff necessary 
for maintenance -  there will only be the space for one family.

Seriously though, I think this place is stunning.  We definitely couldn't afford to buy or 
maintain it, but I am thrilled to think that some people can and will. 

Wishing you a dreamy Sunday

please please papa noel!!

Here's a little scoop for you, and a cool idea for a stocking filler!  Well OK - a big stocking.  The French railway authorities are putting up for sale by auction   tomorrow 14 maisons garde barrières.  That is to say houses that were provided for their employees who looked after level crossings on railway lines.

We're not talking châteaux, or even country manor house.  They are all in Brittany or in the Loire (both nice parts of France), all in need of major restoration, mostly very small, mostly built in the early 1800's, mostly next to disused railway lines, and  ...... mostly starting at auction around 23.000 Euro , in fact the cheapest will start at 7.000 Euro!

So here to amuse, inspire and make you daydream is a sample of the prettiest.

Autumn colours and quince jelly

My friend P, whose house is up for sale, has a cognassier in his garden.  A what?!  .....  a quince tree, a tree to covet if ever there were one.  The quince is elegant, old fashioned, sweet smelling, pretty in flower and über generous in fruit.

I had permission to go up and raid the tree this week, and I took along my camera because the sun was shining and I knew the colours would be worthwhile.

Some people use quinces to perfume their linen cupboards, we prefer the jelly!  A subtle, flowery flavour carried by a beautiful pink jelly.  I'd like to tell you it's really quick and easy to do, but I'd be lying, so instead of sharing the recipe I'll simply share photos of P's garden in autumn, the beautiful quince and a finished pot of jelly.

a 200 year old maison for sale

Just a couple of miles from our house, is this beautiful property that friends have just put on to the market.  It lays in the centre of one of the most attractive villages in the valley.  I love it's position within easy walking distance of the river and fields.  I love it's old stone walls and it's old barn that is just crying out to be restored and lived in.

The house can just be seen over the top of the garden wall and gates, but once you are inside you appreciate how pretty the long façade really is.  The oldest records on the house date back to over 200 years ago; these walls would have many a story to tell.

As well as the main double gate, there is a small foot gate.

The large barn fits on to the far end of the house.  I love these huge doors and the beautiful wooden beams inside, it could be used as one huge room or easily divided into ground floor and first floor living space.

These photos were taken in the autumn, but early summer these roses are fantastic and the first to bloom along the valley.

A few snaps taken inside, where the rooms are spacious and the potential enormous.

The garden is charming, large enough to be landscaped into several areas to enjoy, but not so big that it becomes a full time task.

The two magnolias are spectacular in the Spring.

This sweet little outbuilding is hidden away at the end of the garden.  It would make the dearest toolshed, playhouse or even a writing room in the summer.

I love to tempt you with these peeks behind the walls of local properties for sale.  I especially love the mails I receive from people who tell me about their dream of coming to live in France.  So you know what to do if you want more details on this pretty home, just drop me a line!

a house to dream about - and then rebuild

Before I start I should say that this post comes with a health warning - not for the faint hearted!

Do you remember a couple of weeks ago, in a post about a beautiful house beside the river,  I showed you this photo of a small house for sale.

Well, I have received so many emails asking me more about the house and about buying old properties in France that I managed to arrange a visit of the property - just for you!

Steel yourselves dear readers - especially those of you used to slick real estate presentations, there is nothing slick about this.  This property needs a lot of work  total renovation, so what I show you today must be seen as a shell or a blank canvas, needing  a helping hand  major reconstruction to become habitable and then decorating   even more work to become beautiful.

First of all the dry facts.   The plot of land is long and narrow and measures approximately 1000 square meters.  The house is the same shape and occupies about a quarter of the space.

The photo above is taken just inside the property looking back over the gate towards the neighbours house on the other side of the road.

.

 Although the façade on the road has been plastered to hide the stone work, all the rest of the property still has the stone and brick walls showing.

The outside definitely has potential charm.   Originally used as three separate cottages, the property is not short on doors.  I think I counted nine!  Three or four of those are two-part stable doors.

Sadly this sweet dog isn't included in the sale!

Beyond this last part of the house the garden continues into what was once a potager, and could be turned into a charming jardin de curé.  On one side of the property there is a large house, on the other a brick barn.  It is very quiet and peaceful.

I liked the water pump and the decorative moulding above a couple of the windows.

 Inside there are a large number of small rooms.  The estate agent told me five bedrooms, he's probably right - I lost count.  I definitely saw three former fireplaces including this one used as a bedhead!

 There are several tiny bathrooms, a workshop, a laundry room, a wood shed, two staircases

..... two or three living rooms, a kitchen and some interesting wooden beams  ......

and even the former owners checking out who comes visiting!

Please don't think I'm making fun or criticising.  It's neither.  I simply wanted to show that renovating an old property here is not always a soft option.  It can require time, vision, good taste and considerable energy.  If someone had enough of the above they'd be rewarded with a beautiful and good sized house with loads of character.

So now I can repeat my question of a few weeks back  "Any takers?"