A large 18th-century-style house with a villa, an orangery and 7,000m² of grounds,
looking out over the Forez plain in France’s Loire department, less than an hour from Lyon
looking out over the Forez plain in France’s Loire department, less than an hour from Lyon
Andrézieux-Bouthéon,
LOIRE
rhones-alps
42160
FR
Location
The property lies in France’s Loire department, around an hour from Lyon and its high-speed train station. You can also get to Lyon international airport in an hour by car via the A46 or A43 motorways.
Description
From a road, you go past a Mediterranean-style orangery and reach a gate that leads to two driveways. One is paved and takes you to an 18th-century-style house with a lodge. The other drive leads to the villa, an edifice that looks old from outside but modern inside with its interior fittings. This villa offers a 270° view of the Forez plain. These two buildings are linked together via a drive lined with cypresses. They each have a plot on which a swimming pool could be built. There is also a large, widely glazed workshop, designed for business or exhibitions. It looks out over the property. The grounds are terraced with dry-stone retaining walls that create many flat surfaces.
The whole of this property is for sale in its entirety, but it could, alternatively, be sold in three plots:
- The large house and the lodge: a plot of around 3,500m² for €1,460,000
- The villa and the workshop: a plot of around 3,000m² for €920,000
- The orangery: a plot of around 1,150m² for €470,000
The whole of this property is for sale in its entirety, but it could, alternatively, be sold in three plots:
- The large house and the lodge: a plot of around 3,500m² for €1,460,000
- The villa and the workshop: a plot of around 3,000m² for €920,000
- The orangery: a plot of around 1,150m² for €470,000
The large house
The large house was built recently. It has a ground floor and a first floor, each with a 150m² floor area, as well as a 98m² basement. With a roof underlined with a génoise cornice, the house’s design is inspired by 18th-century Mediterranean villas. Its French windows and its small rounded windows add an extra touch of southern France. The génoise cornice is free of unsightly gutters thanks to a clever invention: the penultimate row of synclinal tiles is not fitted, so rainwater flows directly into a network of gutters installed inside the building.
The ground floor
You step through the entrance door into a large dual-aspect hallway with a floor of pale stone tiles patterned with small black square inserts. This hallway connects to a 70m² lounge, a 25m² dining room, an office, a kitchen and a lavatory. On the right, a staircase with winder steps leads upwards in a harmonious shape.
The upstairs
The dual-aspect hallway forms a cross with a gallery. The latter connects to three bedrooms, ranging in floor area from 14m² to 28m², as well as two bathrooms, two lavatories and a utility room with a laundry chute linked to the basement. There is an extra room that is waiting to be given a purpose. It could be a bathroom, a bedroom, an office or a fitness room. The plumbing is already installed. The view from this level stretches a long way over the Forez plain.
The basement
The basement covers 98m². You can reach it from the kitchen. It includes a large utility space with the laundry chute receptacle. There is also a gas boiler from the company Frisquet down here. The basement is completed with a cellar with a floor partly covered with terracotta tiles and partly gravelled and with steps that lead to the garden.
The villa
The villa’s old outside appearance, with its cedar tip embellishments along the top of the facade and its wooden clock, contrasts with the interior, where modernity is everywhere. You enter the villa from the east side, from the parkland where you can admire a sweeping view. It has a kitchen with a large central island unit, a sliding table and different household appliances, as well as drawers that are lit up from inside when opened. There are fold-away glazed doors on both the east and west sides, making this floor a dual-aspect space. On one side, there is a series of ovens from the company Neff, built into a large black cupboard with doors that slide and fold away. On the west side, there is a lounge with a view of the Forez plain. Lastly, from the kitchen, there is a flight of backlit floating stairs that starts with a large blue millstone, which is well paired with the tone of the floor tiles. These stairs lead up to a 34m² mezzanine that currently serves as an office with a far-reaching view out over the Forez plain. From the kitchen, a gallery fitted with several wooden doors that are built into the wall and have no exposed hinges – thanks to the flush-to-the-wall Filomuro system – connects to the other rooms, which face west:
- a large office or bedroom that has cupboards, a fold-away bed that cannot be seen once it is folded away and a shower room that is designed for people with reduced mobility and has a washbasin;
- a bedroom with a double wardrobe and a shoe drawer lit up from inside and a private shower room that is designed for people with reduced mobility and has a washbasin;
- a lavatory with a washbasin;
- a utility room with a door to a garage with a tiled floor.
The villa has a 150m² floor area and an “A” rating for energy performance.
The orangery
The orangery has two levels: a ground floor with a 100m² floor area that has been turned into a garage for five cars and a 150m² first floor that needs to be converted. The connections for electricity and plumbing are waiting to be given a definitive use. As an apartment, this building would suit a family. Alternatively, it could be used for business purposes. From this orangery, the view stretches far to hills in the distance.
The lodge
The lodge has a ground floor and a first floor. The ground floor has a 60m² garage for three vehicles with a fast-charging terminal for electric vehicles. The first floor has a 40m² furnished studio apartment with a modern kitchen along one wall. It is currently rented out as 4-star accommodation.
The workshop
The workshop offers a 90m² floor area. It is bathed in natural light from large, sliding glazed doors. It could easily be turned into a reception room or exhibition hall.
The grounds
The grounds are edged with an enclosing wall and structured with a driveway lined with cypresses. They are dotted with plane trees, age-old oaks and box hedges. An abundance of lavender and extensive dry-stone retaining walls give the grounds a distinctly Mediterranean feel.
Our opinion
This delightful property is an enchanting haven set back from the world. With its characterful edifices, arched French windows and barrel-tile roofs with génoise cornices, it seems to have been taken straight out of 18th-century Tuscany. Indeed, the property’s name – “On dirait le sud” (“It looks like the south”) – underlines this distinct impression. From the three main buildings – the orangery, the large house and the villa – the view stretches out across the grounds and beyond, to a backdrop of unspoilt natural beauty. Given the spaciousness of the reception rooms in the main house and the orangery, you could easily organise big family gatherings or special events here. Indeed, the spaces open up a wide range of possibilities for you. And the property is ideally located with quick access to several towns in France’s Loire department – yet another precious asset of this unique home.
2 850 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 606294
| Land registry surface area | 7407 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 8 |
French Energy Performance Diagnosis
Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
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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.
