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Mr Eiffel’s forge
Location
3 hours from Paris, less than 2½ hours from Geneva, A6 - A38 motorways, Dijon TGV train station, Longvic-Dijon airport.
In a rural setting amongst vines and forests.
Description
The property
The property comprises a large, luxurious home built in 1820, and an outbuilding built prior to this date, most probably in the 18th century. It is crossed by a millstream which previously powered a forge that is said to have belonged to the family of the great engineer Eiffel.
Adjoining the property are parklands spanning approx. 1 ha (2.47 acres) with trees of over one hundred years old and a meadow of the same acreage.
The surrounding undulating countryside features vines and woods.
The main house
Set at the bottom of a valley, the main access to the house consists of a narrow lane at the end of which entrance gates open on to a first inner courtyard containing the outbuilding.
This is followed by a second courtyard with low walls that are topped with two mythical characters. It is this courtyard that provides access to the large luxurious home. The latter spans three floors with eight bedrooms, five bathrooms and a little more than 400 m² (4.305 sq ft) of living space. It is built over a cellar that runs under almost the entire building. The facade facing the courtyard features a porch way topped with a protective canopy built of flat tiles, and nine large aligned windows. Two smaller buildings extend the main building; one comprising a library, the other on the right-hand side forms an independent entrance on the side of the house. The gently sloping roof is covered with the small flat tiles for which Burgundy is famous. The facade facing the parklands is more ornamental, the main building is flanked by two square towers with steep hip roofs. Both towers have two tall windows to let in a maximum of light.
The ground floor of the main building has four French windows that lead out on to the parklands, with a small protected terrace providing access to a gravel courtyard. The first floor features four more windows that are the same size as those on the rear facade.
The second floor, under the rafters, features four bull’s eye windows in line with the windows below. Square towers and bull’s eye windows give this home the appearance of a manor house.
Its architecture appears to be fairly typical of 19th century houses in Burgundy. The inside of the house features a wide central stairway that leads up to its different floors. The various living rooms are set out on either side of this stairway.
The entrance hall is vast; it leads to the main lounge, the dining room and the kitchen. It has black and white floor tiles laid in a chessboard pattern. The ground floor ceilings in such rooms as the lounge, the dining room and the library feature mouldings.
The dining room walls are partly covered with 19th century wallpaper and wainscoting. The library with its small escritoire, its shelves of books covering all the walls and an alcove in one corner of the room, exudes an atmosphere of intimacy and learning.
The bedrooms and the bathrooms are spacious. The bathrooms are modern and are fitted with showers and baths; most of them also have a toilet.
The outbuilding
It is built of exposed quarry stone and notably houses an old bread oven, an old flat now totally obsolete, a garage or old barn and no doubt the old forge which was the original reason for this site. It dates from the 18th century.
The parklands are pleasant with the millstream running the full length of the property, one hundred year old trees, box trees and lawns.
Our opinion
A family house in a relatively perfect setting, no nuisances to be seen or heard, an unspoilt spot below a small village with its typical stone houses. It has nothing but advantages: the carcass is in a good state of repair, the roof and roofing framework were carefully attended to. The house is spacious and could become home to a large family due to its eight bedrooms. The bathrooms are very pleasant as they have both bath and shower. The floors throughout the house vary from parquet flooring, to terracotta tiles or floor tiles and yet there is a harmonious consistency. The good sized outbuilding could be converted into holiday accommodation. The geographical area is also pleasant for hiking enthusiasts and it has several nearby historic monuments that can be visited. The surroundings are, therefore, ideal for a superb quality of life.
Price : Contact us
Our fees are included in the stated sale price.
Reference 3452CB
| Land registry surface area | 1 ha (4,94 acres) |
| Main building surface area | 400 m² (4.305 sq ft) |
| Outbuilding surface area | 186 m² (2,001 sq ft) |
Regional representative
Céline Berrette +33 (0)6 98 65 18 07
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.
