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buy castles / chateaux in anjou region france

A 17th-century chateau with an equestrian centre,
on 93 ha of nature reserve north of Anjou

, SARTHE pays-de-loire FR

Pays de la Loire

Location

The estate is located 50 km north of Angers, 250 km from Paris, and 10 km from the A10 motorway. There is an airfield 20 km away, and a train station provides a link to Paris-Montparnasse in 1hr15, and to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport in 2 hours by TGV high-speed rail.
The property is less than an hour away from the Loire Valley (Anjou), and from Le Mans and its renowned medieval quarter, featuring courtyards and gardens... Less than 10 km away, a town steeped in history offers all necessary amenities. There is also a golf course 30 km away.

Description

The estate sits on 93 ha of rolling countryside and woodland, adorned with several water features. It is the culmination of more than 10 years’ work, scrupulously designed to exist in harmony with its natural surroundings and wildlife.
Accordingly, the main building is reached by two tree-lined lanes winding deep into the natural countryside. An equestrian centre installed on the upper section of the estate includes numerous buildings and facilities. Continuing through the estate, you will come upon an intimate, elegant chateau, which has been completely renovated with modern comforts. The chateau was originally built in the mid-17th century by master masons and carpenters. In the second half of the 19th century, the upper floors of the building were reorganised. With a surface area of around 500 m², the building comprises six bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms or shower rooms, and several reception rooms. Nearby stand a chapel, an outbuilding, and a courtyard flanked by a guest house, a summer house, and a boiler room.
The estate can be officially subdivided into two distinct properties that may be purchased separately, each with its own entrance. Lot 1 comprises the chateau, and its approximately 67 hectares of meadows and forest, for 1,895,000€, fees included (to be sold before Lot 2). Lot 2 includes the equestrian facilities, two buildings, and some 27 hectares of land, for 883,000€, fees included.

The chateau

The chateau was completely renovated to the highest standard between 2011 and 2015. The rectangular main building is flanked by two adjoining symmetrical pavilions, extending lengthwise out from the central structure. The building has three floors, and a Trélazé slate roof. The whitewashed facades are interspersed with numerous windows, equally spaced across the front of the building. On the ground floor, the reception rooms and kitchen are bathed in daylight from both sides of the house. A large wooden staircase leads to six bedrooms, each with en-suite bathroom, over the two upstairs floors. At the rear of the building, a gravel esplanade extends along the chateau’s facade. This terraced area is ornamented with sections of lawn, and interspersed with topiary work. Rectangular steps lead down to a small pool. From here, you can enjoy a south-west facing view of the entire estate.

Ground floor
The spacious entrance opens onto a painted, panelled vestibule with oak-strip flooring. The ground-floor reception rooms all lead to this vestibule, whose large, main wooden staircase revolves up four right-angle flights to the next floor. The high ceiling adds to the airy, spacious feel, and highlights the double doors leading to the various rooms. To one side, a reception room leads into the spacious kitchen. Further back, toward the rear-terrace side of the building, is an office. To the other side, a corridor leads to the drawing-room-cum-library, which itself opens into a Louis-XIII-style dining room. The three state rooms are bright and spacious. They open onto a terrace, on the garden side of the house, and enjoy an uninterrupted view over the forestland and water features. These rooms are decorated with Louis-XV-era wood panelling, and feature period fireplaces. In the main drawing room, the moulded ceiling complements the herringbone parquet floor. The dining room and kitchen conversely feature traditional tomette-tile floors. From the kitchen, two exterior doors lead to the two terraces. A service stair leads up to the first floor. Double-glazed windows feature period-style hardware, and are equipped with interior shutters. The cornice moulding and plasterwork have all been done in the period craftwork style. The modern electrical wiring and equipment are fitted into the masonry.
First floor
This is reached via a wooden staircase with an intermediate landing, which receives plentiful natural light from several windows. The generous landing can be closed off by heavy double doors. In one direction, the corridor leads to two comfortable bedrooms, each equipped with a bathroom; and to a linen room. In the other direction, it leads to two communicating bedrooms, each with en-suite bathroom, toilet, and closet space. All the rooms are furnished with hardwood strip flooring, except one of the bedrooms, which has traditional tomette floor tiles. Each bedroom features a period fireplace, in wood or marble. The ceilings are decorated with mouldings. A service stair leads to the second-floor landing and to a toilet (which may also be accessed from one of the bedrooms).
Second floor
The large wooden staircase leads to the second floor, built into the roof space, where the rafters are still visible in some places. On this floor, there are two bright and spacious bedrooms. The bedrooms are both equipped with bathrooms, one of which is still in need of completion. They have slightly sloping ceilings, traditional tomette-tile flooring, and the lower wall sections are painted.
Cellar
The chateau is built over a vaulted cellar, dating from the original 16th-century construction. It can be accessed from outside

The Small Guest House

The small house, from a similar era as the chateau, has also been restored. The house has a rectangular floor plan, and is equipped with a tile roof and copper piping. Its interior and exterior walls are whitewashed. Features include underfloor heating, which is powered by the boiler room using wood from the estate as fuel. As part of an ecological initiative, the house was insulated with sheep’s wool. Located near the summer house, and

Ground floor
The ground floor comprises a drawing room with a wood-burning stove, a kitchen, and a bathroom. A staircase leads to the first floor, where a seventh bedroom is located.
First floor
Portions of whitewashed wooden rafters are exposed.

The Summer House

The summer house has been rebuilt and partly opened to the exterior, and serves as a summer dining room. Next to this is a closed room designed for use as a kitchen for hunting parties. If desired, this building could be converted to a two-storey guest house. It is connected to central plumbing. Behind the building, there is a vegetable garden.

The Chapel

Built in the 16th century, the chapel was restored in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was designed by Jérôme de la Dauvessière, the grandson of the founder of the city of Montreal.

The Windmill

A well, from which water is drawn by a metal windmill crafted by Ernest Bollée, a foundry worker from Le Mans, was installed in the grounds in the second half of the 19th century. The frame and roof of the shelter have recently been renovated.

Building for the Boiler Room

A new Fröling boiler was installed in the autumn of 2018. It heats both the chateau and the guest house. This building is located between the two other buildings. There is sheltered storage space for firewood (sourced from the forest).

The Outbuilding

Set a little back from the vegetable garden, another outbuilding serves as a warehouse.

The English-style Garden

The grounds are planted with a variety of trees (oak, cedar, chestnut...).
A terrace, with rose bushes, lavender, and topiary bushes planted on its lower level, faces a pond fed by the well. A tree-lined path leads to the chapel, then meets an ancient trail beside the large pond.

The Woods and the Surrounding Land

The view extends over wild meadows and woods of around 21 ha, interspersed with pathways designed as much for walking purposes, as for logging and hunting. Around 6 ha of land serves as a hunting reserve, and is interspersed with a network of pathways for horseback excursions.

The Ponds

The ponds are fed by natural springs and runoff water, and so have very high-quality water, with zero nitrate content. They are listed on the land registry. Seen from above, the main pond has a surface area of 2.5 ha. Next in line is a smaller pond, located below the chateau, with a surface area of around 4000 m². Stocked with pike and roach, this pond is also frequently home to shoals of minnow. Beyond this, a stretch of wetland extends from the stream toward the Loire.

The Equestrian Centre

At the entrance to the estate, a long path leads to a group of buildings. These comprise the equestrian facilities, along with two private buildings for the use of the staff. The use of the land for hay cultivation, and as a sporting ground for national teams, brings in a yearly turnover of 83,000€. The facilities were built in 2008 and the private buildings were renovated in 2009. The facilities include a training track, a riding ring, various forest paths, and several specially modified paddocks.
These buildings form a large courtyard. The paddocks are fenced off with untreated Douglas-pine fences, and each is equipped with a shelter. Conditional upon proper maintenance, the meadows produce high-quality hay.
The equestrian facilities comprise three buildings, which contain:
- 18 modern horse stalls and a sluice room
- 8 horse stalls
- 12 horse stalls and a sluice room
The facilities also include a hay shed (40 x 20m), a riding ring (61 x 24m), a four-bedroom private house (150 m²; wood-fired heating system), a two-bedroom private house, and a studio apartment for the staff near the stables. Also included are an automatic walker for six horses, a sand quarry (75m x 45m), a Havrincourt ring, and an 800 m long, sand-floored gallop track.

Our opinion

Though the property was intended to be passed down as a family estate, this was not to be. However, this turn of fate has only improved the general quality of the property. Ten years of substantial work were needed to restore the estate, turning it into a premium-quality biotope, in which both construction and nature exist together in harmony. Everything possible was done to achieve this goal. Raw materials were sourced with care, from the sand used in the external rendering, to the wooden blocks, which were cut from oaks on the estate. A master craftsman was called in to do the plasterwork on the main staircase, all the window hardware was recreated in period style... In short, not even the smallest detail was overlooked. The finished product, a model of rare elegance, comes close to perfection. Here, one can escape the trials and tribulations of the outside world.

2 778 000 €
Honoraires à la charge du vendeur

Voir le Barème d'Honoraires

Reference 338194

Land registry surface area	93 ha 16 a 25 ca
Main building surface area	487 m2
Outbuilding surface area	3235 m2

French Energy Performance Diagnosis

Regional representative
Mayenne, Sarthe

Catherine Boivin +33 1 42 84 80 85

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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.