1 h 30 from Paris and 20 km from Honfleur, near the Norman Venice,
an elegant 18th-century chateau set within grounds of nearly 4,000 m²
an elegant 18th-century chateau set within grounds of nearly 4,000 m²
Pont-Audemer,
EURE
upper-normandy
27500
FR
Location
The property lies 1 h 30 from Paris and 25 minutes from both Deauville and Honfleur, on the edge of the historic pays of Auge. The surrounding countryside is varied, with walks and excursions readily available towards the Côte Fleurie, the Côte d'Albâtre and the meanders of the River Seine. Rouen is 40 minutes away, Caen 50 minutes. Train services to Paris run from Oissel, in the greater Rouen area, or from Bernay, 30 km distant, depending on the time of day. The nearest shops and services are a few minutes away in Pont-Audemer — the "Venise normande."
Description
A minor road gives access to the property; a path crosses open meadows before reaching the chateau, which stands among mature trees. Dating principally from a late-18th-century reconstruction, the building is a study in perfect symmetry. Its long facade, animated by numerous windows, comprises a central body flanked on each side by a slightly projecting pavilion. At the centre of each elevation, a false avant-corps forms a half-octagon crowned by a triangular pediment, and houses a principal staircase with wrought-iron balustrade. The classical proportions, finished with low slate-covered mansard roofs, reflect the pursuit of balance typical of Norman manor houses of the Enlightenment period — a tradition in which refinement never entirely sets aside a certain rural restraint.
The building is surrounded by lawns and mature planting, beyond which meadows adjoin arable land and woodland.
The building is surrounded by lawns and mature planting, beyond which meadows adjoin arable land and woodland.
The chateau
The ground floor
Two doors, set within the false avant-corps, give access to the chateau. One opens into a hall from which the drawing room is reached and the staircase departs; the other leads directly into the drawing room itself. This generous space, flooded with light from tall windows, connects on one side through double doors to a large room divided between dining room and kitchen, and on the other through its twin to a hallway serving a bedroom, a bathroom with lavatory, and a corridor — formerly the link to one of the pavilions, now used for storage. Herringbone parquet covers most of the floors at this level; the hall is paved in antique stone flags. Marble fireplaces surmounted by mirrors ornament each of the principal rooms.
The first floor
The staircase arrives at a landing paved in hexagonal terracotta tiles, from which three bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory are reached. Two of the bedrooms are generous in size, each receiving light on both sides from tall windows; one includes a shower room. Their decorative treatment differs: some walls are plain white, others are lined with full-height panelling and dado panelling below, both painted green. The floors are laid with original herringbone parquet or more recent straight-laid boards.
The two pavilions
Each pavilion is square in plan and carries a hipped roof. The first is a self-contained dwelling with a kitchen and drawing room on the ground floor, two bedrooms and a bathroom with lavatory on each upper level. The second requires full restoration. The ceiling heights and natural light in both match those of the chateau.
The grounds
The chateau's immediate setting comprises broad lawns punctuated by substantial shrub borders and tall trees, several of them centuries old. Beyond, meadows extend to arable land on one side and woodland on the other.
Our opinion
A property of nearly 450 m², whose classical outline conceals proportions of genuine rarity, shaped for a life of ease and natural flow. The reception rooms, opening wide onto the grounds, draw in a traversing light that underscores the nobility of the proportions and follows the movement of the day. Six bedrooms, distributed with care, give each occupant space and privacy; the generous floor areas invite gatherings as readily as quieter retreats. Together they form a family property in the fullest sense — one where comfort and elegant simplicity are held in balance, and where memories take root, in a home that has opened its doors for centuries.
Reference 273764
| Land registry surface area | 5 ha 17 a 46 ca |
| Main building floor area | 450 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 10 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 300 m² |
| including refurbished area | 150 m² |
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.
