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Authentic medieval castle in the French department of Drôme
Location
Situated ten or so kilometres (6 miles) from an A7 motorway exit and less than 10 km (6 miles) from a French SNCF train station with numerous train lines to TGV train stations in Valence, Lyon Pardieu and Lyon St Exupéry airport.
In the Rhône valley plains, an authentic and rural region with many amenities.
Description
Built on the side of a small wooded hill, the castle dominates the surrounding area. A small winding road, meandering through the fruit trees, leads up to the property.
An old Roman road leads into the courtyard of the castle which was built as a simple hunting lodge in the 10th century. At the beginning of the 13th century, it became a Seigneurial residence, was extended and given 13 towers. As Dauphin, Louis XI often stayed here when he came hunting locally. In the 15th century, the property was owned by an illustrious family related to the most famous of the royal mistresses, Diane de Poitiers.
The property, with its own natural source, extends a little over 2 hectares (4.94 acres); part of the walls of the original enclosure is still standing.
The castle has a surface area of 420 m² (4,521 sq ft) including more than 200 m² (2,153 sq ft) of attic space awaiting conversion; it is built of stone, pebbles from the Rhône and beaten earth, and 9 of its towers are still standing.
In 1921, the owners, farmers who could no longer afford its upkeep, sold half the building and kept the other half for storage purposes. Today, with both owners wanting to sell at the same time, there is an opportunity of reuniting the two halves of this medieval castle.
The renovated section spans approx. 230 m² (2,476 sq ft), the restoration works, perfectly in line with traditional methods, were carried out over a period of ten years. All the features that were added are linked to the original features: doors, fireplaces, exposed stone walls and French ceilings.
A Renaissance-style door, topped with the Comtes coat-of-arms, acts as the main entrance. The ground floor comprises a lounge, a dining room, a study, a toilet, a fitted kitchen and a boiler room that also doubles as a linen room.
A wonderful spiral staircase leads upstairs, all the way up to the attic from the hallway. The rooms on the first floor include a dressing room, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom.
There are several means of communication between the two halves of the castle. The part awaiting restoration spans approx. 190 m² (2,045 sq ft), to which can be added approx. 75 m² (807 sq ft) of attic space.
The ground floor of this part comprises a small circular room in one of the two towers, a large room, another smaller room and a spiral stairway in the other tower.
The first floor is laid out in a similar manner and has the same number of rooms as the ground floor. Some outstanding architectural features include the spiral stairway, the mullioned windows and, above all, fragments of an 18th century fresco.
A barn with a floor surface area of almost 300 m² (3,229 sq ft) (once the stables), two defence towers and a 45 m² (484 sq ft) caretaker’s cottage comprise the outbuildings together with a 160 m² (1,722 sq ft) house (built by the farmers in 1921 and which should, perhaps, be demolished).
Our opinion
How pleasurable it is to take the small winding road that leads to this proud-looking castle with its nine (out of the original thirteen) towers that are still standing. Its architecture and surroundings are seductive with the view over the wooded hills and the plain for as far as the eye can see. On entering the part of the castle that awaits restoration and finding the frescoes, it is moving to think that such remnants of our history can have come down through the centuries with so little damage. They, of course, provide added value to this part of the building. Long divided into two, the castle finally has the chance of being reunited and becoming a vast, extremely comfortable residence. Rapid access to the A7 and the French SNCF train station mean that it could very easily become a main residence for someone working in Lyon or Valence.
Exclusive sale
1 110 000 €
Our fees are included in the stated sale price.
Reference 2578VW
| Land registry surface area | 2ha 07a 40ca / 5,12 acres |
| Main building surface area | 420 m² / 4,521 sq ft |
| Outbuilding surface area | 500 m² + 160 m² / 5,382 sq ft + 1,722 sq ft |
Regional representative
Patrice Besse +33 (0)1 42 84 80 84
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.
