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Location
28 miles from Avignon, (Paris by TGV train in 150 minutes), 63 miles from Montpellier and 35 from Nîmes.
This castle, in the heart of a village of less than 700 inhabitants, is built on the old town ramparts.
Description
The property comprises a small garden forming a closed 3,229 sq ft courtyard, containing cypress trees and architectural features of Italian inspiration. It can be accessed through a door directly from the street, or large entrance gates opening into the courtyard.
The castle
Representative of late 16th century architecture, the main facade with its irregular layout overlooks the street and is flanked by two round towers. Its appearance is moderated by a central, horseshoe-shaped stairway, giving access to the open porch and the actual entrance.
The ground floor
A first vaulted room, currently being used as a living room-entrance hall, reveals a painted ceiling epitomizing the Uzès coat-of-arms with motifs including foliated scrolls, pots of fire and shells that the previous owners rediscovered. The sensible and careful restoration, to which it was subject, has once again made legible this outstanding example of decorative art, few of which have managed to escape the ill effects of time and the change in tastes.
This first room gives access via large double French doors, on the one hand, to a dining room (currently in use as a study), and on the other hand, to a lounge (currently in use as a dining room).
The vaulted room with its 19th century cement tiled floor, has also benefited from a sober, first-class restoration. A stone, Louis XV style fireplace breaks up its regularity.
Adjoining this room is a cleverly laid out modern kitchen. A corridor leads to a bedroom (with shower room and toilet) where period terracotta tiles are laid on the floor; it is situated at the bottom of the south tower. This room contains a Louis XV style fireplace, most certainly in its original form. The contours which this sphere of influence imposes are clearly present but are stripped of the rocaille-style embellishments that we are used to. The general style is massive though marked but nevertheless lightens it all, so that it remains delicate and streamlined.
The dining room is adorned with natural wood, floor-to-ceiling panelling and a vaulted ceiling with the addition of a stucco decoration clearly dating from the 19th century.
As for the large kitchen, fitted with a service hatch, it has preserved each of its attributes and particularities. The large flagstone floor, the vaulted ceiling, the storeroom sunk in the bottom of the north tower and the monumental fireplace have all been preserved and left in a condition that resembles that of origin.
A 17th century, monumental door, flanked by pilasters and topped with a wrought pediment opens on to the solid newel, halfpace stairway, accessible both from inside and the courtyard. It leads to the first floor and a wide corridor with a French ceiling, illuminated by means of large windows and accessing five large bedrooms each with bath or shower room and a library.
Three of these bedrooms are fitted with a stone, Louis XV style fireplace, the lines of which are close to those described above, though far more detailed. One of the bathrooms, also with a Louis XV style fireplace, has been soberly and carefully decorated. A zinc bath tub has been installed together with an unobtrusive shower cubicle, the painted walls of which are reminiscent of the grey hues spread by the zinc. The ceilings on this floor are 16.4’ high.
The second floor awaits complete restoration. The layout is similar to that of the floor below. The terracotta tiled floor, a Louis XV style fireplace governed by a finely worked trumeau making use of the same ornamental repertoire and the various features contained on this floor are omens of a strong decorative potential.
Our opinion
We are, in this instance, faced with a residence that has come through the centuries with its ineffable dignity intact. Filled with a certain charm exuding calm, serenity and luminosity, the castle, left in its original condition, expresses a particularly touching character.
Despite the fact that it is endowed with a decor never less than polished, which has featured in numerous specialized magazine articles, this property is not bound to irreparable modern ornamental concepts. The quality, soberness and the cleverness of the restoration can but be continued in certain rooms.
Price
955 000 €
Our fees are included in the stated sale price. Reference
2003WK
Representative
Wilfried Kathemann
Telephone
06 11 13 73 05
contact
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.
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