In verdant Provence, on 14 ha near a village surrounded by vineyards,
an 18th century chateau and its outbuildings, in need of complete restoration
Brignoles, VAR provence-cote-dazur 83170 FR

Location

The chateau is located about 1 km from a village in the Centre Var region that has existed for thousands of years, in a wide valley irrigated by a tributary of the Argens. Access to the motorway, Brignoles and all its facilities - secondary school, 6th form college, hospital - are within a 10-minute drive. The sea is 55 km away and the Gorges du Verdon and the Valensole plateau can be reached within an 1 hour by taking the small roads of the Haut Var. It takes 1 hour to drive to the Toulon and Aix-en-Provence TGV stations as well as to the airports of Marseille and Toulon-Hyères.

Description

From a small main road, the property is accessed through a metal gate with dressed stone pillars that leads to a driveway of approx. 40 m. The chateau, dating from the beginning of the 18th century, is flanked by two more recent wings and overlooks a very large pool situated on a lower level. Immediately to the west, a partially ruined silk farm and a stable are topped by a dovecote in better condition. The largely walled grounds of about 14 ha are shared between centuries-old trees, sparse Mediterranean vegetation and large pastures of about 1.5 ha. Nearly 2 hectares, on the western edge of the estate, are classified as an AOP (Protected Designation of Origin grape-growing area).

The chateau

The main body of the chateau was probably built a few years earlier and is depicted on the Cassini map of 1744. Its windows and their shutters or blinds, arranged in five rows, are sober, rectangular in shape, while a double frieze lines its gabled roof. It is extended by two wings, of Italian influence and not documented in the Napoleonic cadastre, added in the middle of the 19th century; they have three rows of arched windows on the first floor. Finally, two more rustic wings set at right angles to the north, house the kitchen and domestic facilities. The property has been in the family of the present owners since 1886 by virtue of a manuscript deed of sale which constitutes a fine piece of handwriting in itself. The total surface area is approximately 900 m², to which must be added the 150 m² of the cellars.


The ground floor
Behind the north entrance door, a large full-depth hallway features the main staircase to the upper floors and leads to the south terrace overlooking a stone staircase with two flights of steps and a very large pool. At the entrance to the hallway, at the foot of the stairs, stands an antique wood-burning stove, the forerunner of central heating in that it was also used to heat the upper floors by the radiation from its flue pipe. The hallway leads on one side to a first south-facing drawing room as well as an adjoining room opening on to a vast dining room of almost 50 m². On the other side is a second drawing room, also south-facing, as well as the chapel of the chateau, reached by passing through several corridors. There is also a direct access to the chapel from the outside, intended for the faithful who did not live in the chateau. Ceiling heights vary between approximately 3.3 and 3.5 metres, most rooms have a fireplace, the floors are parquet in the drawing rooms, cement tiles in the hallway and marble in the dining room. Numerous paintings and frescoes of Florentine Baroque inspiration were created between 1886 and 1893, the painter having signed his work at the later date; they embellish the ceilings and the upper part of the walls. The dining room walls are also adorned with wainscotting. Most of the windows feature stained glass panels. On this level, the north-east wing mainly houses the kitchen and its annexes. A service staircase rises from here to the upper floors and servants’ lodgings. The kitchen is still equipped with its two large hoods. The partially collapsed north-west wing does not connect with the rest of the chateau at this level. It was used as the farmer's lodging, with a vat and various storage facilities.
The first floor
The main staircase has wooden steps, columns and banisters. It leads to a vast landing which opens, on the east side, onto an antechamber followed by a spacious library. Well lit by three large arched windows to the south, it also leads to a French window at one end, which opens onto a small balcony protected by a wrought iron guard-railing. Three large rooms, either bedrooms or drawing rooms, extend over the southern part of the main building, some of which feature adjoining storage rooms, while various corridors and half-landings lead to two other smaller rooms in the west wing. Several corridors or rooms will have to be converted into bathrooms or toilets, which are currently very limited in number. Less ornamented than those on the ground floor, the rooms on the first floor do however have fireplaces. The flooring is flagstone on the landing and in the library, wooden in the bedrooms and terracotta tiles in the western rooms. The north window of the landing is adorned with the same stained glass as the dining room. Ceiling heights are comparable to those on the ground floor, from about 3.1 m in the southern rooms to about 3.7 m in the library. The antechamber is connected to the north-east wing which, above the kitchen, contains four rooms also served by the service staircase: a small kitchen, a storeroom, a bathroom and a bedroom. There was also an opening to the now collapsed first floor of the north-west wing, which used to be the farmer's lodging.
The second floor
The main staircase leads to another, partly collapsed landing on the upper level, which serves three good-sized bedrooms opening to the south, while several other rooms have been put to various uses, including a kitchen which is still apparent, a bathroom and two rooms on the north side that could be used as bedrooms. Ceiling heights remain at around 3.15 m on this level. A split-level staircase leads west to three rooms lit by the upper part of the arched windows on the first floor and by the roof windows, they could be used as additional bedrooms.
The cellar
Forming a real maze, they are accessed via three different stairways from the corridor to the chapel, the scullery and the former farmer's lodging. They extend over almost 150 m². Oak casks are still to be found in the so-called wine cellar as well as numerous individual bottle compartments sealed into the wall, whilst the so-called "water cellar" is devoted to the distribution of water from the spring.

The outbuildings

Immediately to the west of the chateau were the farm buildings. A silk farm, in ruins in its upper section, covered approx. 300 m on two levels which can still be clearly made out. An old adjoining dovecote is in a better state of conservation, it has a four-pitched roof clad with glazed tiles. A few steps away, the 110 m² stable, topped by a vast loft of the same dimensions, has retained its walls, while the roof has partially collapsed. Between the silk farm and the stable there was once a small service lodging with access to the dovecote. Finally, along the northern wall, the ruins of an old pigsty remain, now mostly overgrown, with a few trees growing inside its walls.

The park

This extends over approximately 14 h and is partially enclosed by walls. It is mainly made up of agricultural land, with the exception of an east-west strip encompassing the chateau, which has been classified so that it can be extended for tourism purposes, if necessary. Immediately to the south of the chateau's porch, a stone staircase with a double flight of steps joins the bank of a large ornamental and irrigation pool; approximately 30 m x 15 m. This is usually fed by a powerful spring that originates on land outside the property but which is reserved for private use. Like all the springs in the area, this one is currently dried up but probably not lost. The pool features stone arches on the north side, which are in principle partially submerged. There is a washhouse above the pool, under the porch of the chateau. Further south unfolds a bamboo grove which, despite its charm, obscures the visual perspective from the chateau towards the hills closing off the valley to the south. Several centuries-old trees grow near the building: oaks, pines and a magnificent plane tree next to the pool and the silk farm. The rest of the park offers a mix of more or less dense large trees and Mediterranean species. The remains of a chapel also depicted on the Cassini map can still be seen. The property is extended to the south by a large meadow of approximately 1.5 ha, currently rented out to a breeder for his horses. At the westernmost end of the park, about 2 ha are classified as AOP, currently unused. Finally, a few unpaved tracks run through the estate.

Our opinion

A beautiful and vast property, in the heart of green Provence, where a calmness reigns contributing to its exceptional character. Unfortunately neglected in recent years - but this is perhaps a blessing - it is just waiting to be brought back to life and regain its former charm. The work to be carried out is extensive but the potential is commensurate, with almost 1,300 m² of living space, between the chateau and the outbuildings, after restoration.
The period paintings, the clearly perceptible Italian influence, the chapel, the vast reception rooms and library, the cellars extending over almost 150 m2 and last but not least the redesigned park will delight a happy family or will gladly lend themselves to the organisation of exhilarating events unforgettable for the participants.

1 300 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense


See the fee rates

Reference 359203

Land registry surface area 14 ha 16 a 73 ca
Main building surface area 900 m2
Number of bedrooms 16
Outbuilding surface area 400 m2

Consultant

Denis Béraud +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.

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