An 18th-century former hamlet and its breath-taking garden of more
than one hectare, on the outskirts of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, in Normandy’s Orne department
than one hectare, on the outskirts of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, in Normandy’s Orne department
Bagnoles-de-l'Orne,
ORNE
lower-normandy
61140
FR
Location
Within Normandy’s Orne department, the property is located in Tessé-Frolay, a picturesque village neighbouring the renowned spa resort town of Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, while the surrounding countryside alternates between rolling, wooded countryside and the Andaines Forest, perfect for hikes and relaxation. As for the region’s heritage, characterised by a number of local constructions as well as the high-spirited architecture of the Belle Epoque, it is combined with a dynamic local economy, focused on tourism, agriculture and services.
In addition, local shops, green markets and medical infrastructures are accessible in a couple of kilometres, while Paris can be reached in two hours and forty minutes from the train station in Briouze, twenty minutes away. Lastly, Argentan and the A88 motorway are only forty minutes away, whereas the airports in Caen and Rennes are both less than two hours away.
Description
This former hamlet, refurbished and combined into one single property, is accessible via a dirt lane bordered by an apple orchard, while the buildings themselves are organised around an asymmetrical courtyard and include a large main dwelling, composed of several different, seamlessly connected volumes, a second, smaller dwelling, which could be used as a holiday cottage or a guesthouse, a bakehouse and a former pigsty.
Facing east-west, the two-storey main dwelling features a pointed stone exterior on its courtyard side, which is, in turn, cadenced by wood-framed windows as well as dormers on its red tile roof. Behind, on the house’s western side, glass double doors open on to a patio festooned with a grapevine as well as a garden planted with trees, providing unobstructed views overlooking a stream, the latter of which is traversable via a small bridge and winds its way through the garden, flowing over small waterfalls and irrigating aquatic vegetation, such as horsetails and reeds.
To the north of the courtyard, the bakehouse and pigsty, today converted into annexes with more practical uses, have preserved their original charm with their stone walls and tile roofs, while the independent holiday cottage, facing south, features a lintel etched with the year 1778 and is accessible from one side via a flight of steps blanketed with nasturtiums. Built out of stone, its exteriors, punctuated by windows providing plunging views of the property, are also topped with a flat tile roof.
Carpeted with meadows, woods and a meticulously maintained garden, planted with mature trees and flowerbeds, the property also includes a small artificial pond located towards the southern part of the grounds.
Facing east-west, the two-storey main dwelling features a pointed stone exterior on its courtyard side, which is, in turn, cadenced by wood-framed windows as well as dormers on its red tile roof. Behind, on the house’s western side, glass double doors open on to a patio festooned with a grapevine as well as a garden planted with trees, providing unobstructed views overlooking a stream, the latter of which is traversable via a small bridge and winds its way through the garden, flowing over small waterfalls and irrigating aquatic vegetation, such as horsetails and reeds.
To the north of the courtyard, the bakehouse and pigsty, today converted into annexes with more practical uses, have preserved their original charm with their stone walls and tile roofs, while the independent holiday cottage, facing south, features a lintel etched with the year 1778 and is accessible from one side via a flight of steps blanketed with nasturtiums. Built out of stone, its exteriors, punctuated by windows providing plunging views of the property, are also topped with a flat tile roof.
Carpeted with meadows, woods and a meticulously maintained garden, planted with mature trees and flowerbeds, the property also includes a small artificial pond located towards the southern part of the grounds.
The Main Dwelling
Composed of three different volumes, its main section, accessible via the front door, juts out towards the courtyard, while, to the north, near the access lane, a small apse-shaped building is topped with a round hipped roof. To the south, the third section of the dwelling, set back slightly from the courtyard, is crowned with a flat tile roof cadenced by a series of windows, which create a kind of upstairs gallery, ending with a small balcony.
The ground floor
The front door opens on to a foyer, with granite flagstone floors and visible wooden joists, which provides access to a kitchen, a living room and a staircase to the first floor. As for the dual-aspect kitchen, it is equipped with a cooker and a wood-burning stove, set within a former fireplace, while, from here, a door opens on to a pantry, topped with visible wooden rafters, located in the apse-shaped room.
In addition, the living room, made up of two different spaces and separated by a couple of steps, opens on to the garden to the west via an immense picture window, whereas an impressive and massive sculpted granite fireplace abuts its back wall and features corbels with graceful scroll patterns, which dialogue with its chiselled coats of arms. Lastly, behind the living room, a cosy study boasts a number of cupboards as well as a lavatory and faces the courtyard and garden to the south.
The first floor
Accessible from the staircase, with terracotta tile steps, the landing provides access to a shared bathroom, a bedroom and the gallery. As for the bedroom, immense in size, it features terracotta floor tiles, dormer windows on either side as well as visible wooden rafters, while the gallery, drenched in light thanks to its succession of windows, has hardwood floors and provides access to a lavatory as well as two bedrooms with westward-facing dormers. At one end of the gallery, after descending a few steps, the main bedroom, facing south thanks to two windows on the dwelling’s gable end, abuts a private bathroom, separated from the bedroom by a stained glass door.
The Guesthouse
Completely independent and slightly elevated compared to the other edifices, it is located on the eastern side of the courtyard. Built out of stone with granite window/door surrounds, it is topped with a flat tile roof, cadenced by two dormer windows, while its front doors provide access to a kitchen and a living room on the ground floor, the latter of which features visible wooden rafters and joists. As for the kitchen, with terracotta floor tiles, it is separated from the living room by ancient openwork timber framing.
With windows on three of its four sides, the living room is heated with a wood-burning stove, set within a granite fireplace against one of its walls, whereas a staircase provides access to an immense bedroom with visible wooden rafters, illuminated by two dormer windows as well as a skylight and abutting a bathroom with a large shower, bathtub and lavatory.
The Bakehouse
Currently used as a workshop, it is located in a small building featuring materials and architecture similar to the hamlet’s dwellings. With its chimney and oven still intact, a passageway was created where the oven door once stood, which provides access to a wine cellar.
The Pigsty
Composed of two different sheds, this building, featuring a sturdy and faithfully restored construction, is set back from the bakehouse and used for storage.
The Garden
Extending over approximately 1.3 hectares, this long parcel of land stretches from north to south along the valley floor. Traversed lengthwise by a stream, bordered by rocks and a variety of vegetation, the garden also features an orchard producing an assortment of different apples, while, running parallel to the orchard, the access lane winds its way through the hamlet towards the southern end of the property.
Meticulously maintained and cultivated, the grounds also include a pond, an enclosed chicken coop, a vegetable patch, as well as an ornamental garden with an adjustable and natural layout, typical of large Anglo-Norman estates.
Our opinion
This large, stately property, ensconced within the wooded countryside of Normandy, but still within immediate proximity to essential services for daily life, features a beautiful and meticulously tended garden, traversed by its picturesque stream, while its charming and well-restored buildings will make it possible to smoothly and comfortably move into the premises, no renovations required. In addition to the large main dwelling, ideal for a family or a peaceful retirement, the guesthouse opens up a number of possibilities, like a charming holiday cottage or a professional project, less than three hours away from the capital.
Reference 783659
| Land registry surface area | 1 ha 29 a 48 ca |
| Main building floor area | 280 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 4 |
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.
