An elegant 19th-century manor house with outbuildings
and 11 hectares of grounds, 25 kilometres east of Fontainebleau
and 11 hectares of grounds, 25 kilometres east of Fontainebleau
Salins,
SEINE-ET-MARNE
ile-de-france
77148
FR
Location
This property is located in the Seine-et-Marne area, around 60 kilometres southeast of Paris, in a green, rural landscape, among meadows, woods and rivers. The nearest village is approximately 3 kilometres away and has a convenience store plus a primary school. There are more services 10 kilometres away in Montereau-Fault-Yonne as well as a railway station, from which Paris Gare de Lyon can be reached in one hour. The residence is situated near to the D403 road and A5 motorway, while Orly airport to the south of Paris can be reached in one hour.
Description
A long drive lined with hundred-year-old plane trees leads up to the property, where it arrives in perfect alignment with an oblong stone pond, surrounded here and there by several flights of steps, which are echoed a little further away by those ascending to the stoop in front of the main entrance. The residence seems to be tucked away in the heart of 11-hectare grounds, mainly made up of woodland, beyond which fields stretch out. The latter are cultivated by a neighbouring farm and house some constructions belonging to the estate’s outbuildings.
The manor house
The residence was built in the 1840s for a notary who wished to possess a hunting lodge and a farm, in order to take advantage of the game in the forest and the fertility of the farmland. At the turn of the 20th century, the estate was sold to a businessman whose social life continued to revolve around hunting expeditions and dinner parties. It then became the property of a banker who divided the farm and the manor house separately between each of his children. The east to west orientated rectangular building is topped with a dual-pitched hipped roof combining slate and terracotta tiles, punctuated by gable dormers with triangular pediments as well by oculus windows. The white rendered facades are adorned with tall, symmetrically aligned windows. Over the three storeys above the basement level, there is approximately 415 m² of living space. Two large central stone flights of steps lead up to the house’s ground floor, the first of which is on the main facade, leading to a stoop in front of a porch with six Doric columns, giving it an air of a ‘folly’ inspired by the Palladian model of the Vicenza region. The columns support an entablature topped by a triangular pediment pointing to an oval window above it.
The ground floor
A vast entrance hall, with a period black and white stone slab and taco tiled floor, opens into a large, more than 50-m² lounge with wood-panelled walls and exposed beams on the ceiling. One of the room’s more striking features is the stone fireplace with an oval formed hearth. French windows provide access to the garden to the rear of the house. To the right, there is a dining room, a fitted kitchen and a door to the basement, while to the left there is a lavatory and a small office with wood-panelled walls that boasts a wood-burning stove connected to the central heating. Brightness is omnipresent thanks to the many windows through which light generously streams. The old windows and French windows have been double-glazed and fitted with secure interior shutters. There is mostly straight or chevron-patterned period wood stripped flooring throughout.
The first floor
A large wooden staircase climbs up to the first floor, which possesses five bedrooms. Two of them have small en suite bathrooms, while a third bathroom and a separate lavatory can also be found on this level. Each of the bedrooms boasts two tall windows, meaning they are generously bathed in light, while there is straight wood stripped flooring throughout this level. Four of the bedrooms are adorned with different coloured period marble fireplaces, while the walls are decorated with delicate floral-patterned wallpaper or toile.
The second floor
This level boasts six bedrooms as well as two bathrooms, one of which has a shower, and a separate lavatory. There is period pitch pinewood flooring in the main rooms and the walls are mostly painted white. All the windows have been replaced by modern double-glazed windows.
The attic
A small wooden staircase situated in one of the bedrooms on the second floor climbs up to the attic space, which forms a large open space of approximately 140 m² that is of comfortable height in the centre. There is wide wood stripped flooring throughout and an exposed roof frame.
The base level
A small wooden staircase leads down into the semi-underground basement which stretches out under the entire surface of the house. Basement windows allow light to filter into this level. Two of the rooms played a significant role in the residence’s history: the hunting room where the rifles were stored and the game carved before being entrusted to the cooks in the room next door. The boiler room, a room housing the two fuel-oil tanks, the wine cellar, an old lavatory and a fruit store complete this level. There are also two exits directly into the garden.
The two estate keepers’ lodgings
To the north of the estate, an old longhouse belonging to the farm has been divided into three parts. The central and right-hand sections house the estate keepers’ lodgings, while the one to the left belongs to the farmer. Beneath the period flat tiled gabled roof, there is an attic level and a ground floor. The attic floor is bathed in light through dormer windows at each end of the roof. Red brick framed doors and windows, which are fitted with louvred shutters, brighten the light-coloured rendering on the facades.
The first estate keeper’s lodging to the right has a surface of approximately 127 m² and is currently occupied by a tenant. On the ground floor, the entrance opens into the lounge that leads in turn into the kitchen. Also on this level, there is a boiler room. The first floor is made up of four bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory.
The second estate keeper’s lodging, in the centre, possesses a surface of around 91 m² and is currently unoccupied. Only the ground floor has been converted and it includes a kitchen, a lounge, three bedrooms, a shower room, a lavatory and a utility room. The rooms boast a mixture of terracotta tiles, stoneware tiling and wood stripped flooring. In order to accommodate future occupants, this home requires renovation.
The other outbuildings
The estate also possesses other non-converted constructions. Some of these buildings previously belonged to the farm, such as an old stokehold, a woodshed and a workshop where equipment for the swimming pool is now stored. Another large outbuilding is situated to the south of the property: a stone construction used as a barn and garage.
The grounds
The estate spreads out over approximately 11 hectares and is mainly covered with woodland formed of oak and ash trees. A meadow for grazing sheep and lawns surround the buildings, as well as spaces for an orchard, vegetable garden and rose beds. Outdoor facilities such as a tennis court, above-ground swimming pool and a greenhouse can be found on the estate but require renovation. There is also a well and a small doll’s house surrounded by a plethora of small, wild cyclamens, depending on the season.
Our opinion
The estate spreads out over approximately 11 hectares and is mainly covered with woodland formed of oak and ash trees. A meadow for grazing sheep and lawns surround the buildings, as well as spaces for an orchard, vegetable garden and rose beds. Outdoor facilities such as a tennis court, above-ground swimming pool and a greenhouse can be found on the estate but require renovation. There is also a well and a small doll’s house surrounded by a plethora of small, wild cyclamens, depending on the season.
Reference 349552
| Land registry surface area | 11 ha 57 a 82 ca |
| Main building floor area | 415 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 11 |
| including refurbished area | 218 m² |
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.
