A neo-Gothic chateau, granted regional Historical Monument status,
with nearly 5 ha of grounds, meadows & woods, on a hillside in the Loire Valley
with nearly 5 ha of grounds, meadows & woods, on a hillside in the Loire Valley
Chartre-sur-le-Loir,
SARTHE
pays-de-loire
72340
FR
Location
Located in a small region to the north of the Loire Valley that attracts a number of tourists annually, the property is not far from two lively towns, boasting rich historical heritage as well as all shops and services. Lulled by a mild climate that is ideal for growing winemaking grapes, including such appellations as Coteaux-du-Loir or Jasnières, the area is only 225 kilometres away from Paris, the latter of which is accessible, in 55 and 44 minutes, respectively, via the high-speed rail stations in Le Mans and Vendôme, both 45 kilometres away. In addition, Tours is 50 kilometres away and a TER train station, which provides service to Le Mans, is about a dozen kilometres away.
Description
On the edge of the Bercé public woodland and on the outskirts of a picturesque village with shops, the estate, set back and sheltered from view, is surrounded by hedges or old walls topped with metal railing. As for the property, it is laid out around the chateau, the latter of which is built up against the hillside and nestled within grounds that combine pastures, AOC vineyards and woods, while the edifice, built from 1908 to 1913 and recognised as a regional Historical Monument since 1984, is characteristic of the flamboyant neo-Gothic style, very much in fashion among the aristocracy and the upper middle class at that time.
With a floor area of approximately 275 m², it has four storeys including a garden level as well as one under the eaves, whereas its slate roofs are punctuated by many dormers, the latter of which were constructed out of tuffeau stone as were the chateau’s cornices, quoins and window/door surrounds.
To the east and west, stone staircases, safeguarded by bannisters, provide access to an entrance hall and a kitchen, while a patio overlooking the garden skirts its western exterior. Featuring flint from the Loir River valley, which dialogues with sculpted tuffeau stone in order to recreate the aesthetics of a knightly manor, the chateau’s exterior architecture invokes the medieval repertory, with the systematic use of the Gothic arch, lancets and stained glass in order to provide plenty of light and a feeling of verticality.
In addition, a pepperpot turret, supported by moulded corbels, abuts the dwelling and is topped with a slate candle-snuffer roof, whereas wide stone cross windows cadence the ground floor and geminated windows, topped with delicately sculpted Gothic arches, provide plenty of natural light for the upstairs level. Lastly, an openwork stone balustrade with an eye-catching quatrefoil motif creates a remarkable centrepiece for the chateau’s southern gable end.
With a floor area of approximately 275 m², it has four storeys including a garden level as well as one under the eaves, whereas its slate roofs are punctuated by many dormers, the latter of which were constructed out of tuffeau stone as were the chateau’s cornices, quoins and window/door surrounds.
To the east and west, stone staircases, safeguarded by bannisters, provide access to an entrance hall and a kitchen, while a patio overlooking the garden skirts its western exterior. Featuring flint from the Loir River valley, which dialogues with sculpted tuffeau stone in order to recreate the aesthetics of a knightly manor, the chateau’s exterior architecture invokes the medieval repertory, with the systematic use of the Gothic arch, lancets and stained glass in order to provide plenty of light and a feeling of verticality.
In addition, a pepperpot turret, supported by moulded corbels, abuts the dwelling and is topped with a slate candle-snuffer roof, whereas wide stone cross windows cadence the ground floor and geminated windows, topped with delicately sculpted Gothic arches, provide plenty of natural light for the upstairs level. Lastly, an openwork stone balustrade with an eye-catching quatrefoil motif creates a remarkable centrepiece for the chateau’s southern gable end.
The Chateau
The ground floor
With a floor area of approximately 115 m², this level is accessible from the western patio and starts with an entrance hall, topped with tuffeau ribbed vaults, which communicates with two drawing rooms with fireplaces, as well as a study. As for the drawing rooms, they feature a rich décor with visible polychrome ceiling beams, which alternate with the more muted hues of the ceiling painted in either lovat green or madder red, corbels carved with anthropomorphic or chimerical figures that have been placed along the ceiling’s cornices, solid oak parquet floors in a herringbone pattern, tall wooden, small-paned cross windows, safeguarded by interior shutters, as well as walls partially upholstered in original textile wallpaper.
Following on from here is the kitchen, boasting a chequerboard of geometric-patterned cement floor tiles in shades of ochre, umber and soot, whereas glazed white earthenware tiles, scattered with green cabochon details, line the walls from floor to ceiling and an immense stone fireplace topped with a straight chimney hood has been fitted with a saffron-yellow range cooker.
The first floor
Featuring a floor area of approximately 115 m², this level is accessible from the entrance hall via a floating oak staircase with a wrought-iron bannister. A central hallway provides access to six bedrooms, a bathroom with a bathtub as well as a lavatory, while one of the bedrooms comes with its own lavatory and a shower. With oak parquet floors throughout, all the rooms have marble fireplaces with built-in wood-burning stoves, whereas their white plaster walls have been stripped of their original fabric upholstery and the primary suite opens on to a balcony on the chateau’s southern gable end.
The attic
Accessible via a second staircase located at the end of the first floor hallway, this level, with more than 43 m² and pine parquet floors, contains a central hallway that provides access to two large bedrooms and a bathroom with lavatory, before opening on to a convertible attic space of approximately 50 m².
The garden-level floor
This level, of approximately 117 m² and with either concrete or beaten earth floors, is accessible from either the southern or northern gable end and features a series of cellars and storerooms, which occupy its entire floor area.
The Staff Quarters and Farm Outbuildings
With a total floor area of approximately 470 m², the property’s outbuildings include a two-storey perpendicular wing, which includes a series of garages and storerooms. Reinforced with lancet arches, it creates a cloister-like interior courtyard, while the space itself leads to a large cellar, of 120 m², carved into the hillside.
In addition, a former kennel and farm buildings precede the large patio, the latter of which is punctuated on one end by a small circular watchtower, whereas, below, a building, in need of a restoration, could be converted into a four-room holiday cottage. With two rooms on the ground floor and two upstairs, it features terracotta tile floors, visible ceiling beams and abuts a woodshed on one end.
The Grounds, Meadows and Woods
Nestled against a verdant hillside, with a little more than one hectare of protected woods at its summit, the estate features ancient rosebushes, which flourish at the base of the chateau’s walls, as well as tall, multi-century trees that provide plenty of shade for the grounds, such as araucarias, magnolias, giant Sequoias, Lebanese cedars and gingko bilobas. Nestled in one corner of the grounds, a replica of the Chartres imperial eagle from the Reims Cathedral provides an eye-catching detail, whereas, the lower part of the estate is blanketed in one hectare of vineyards with the Coteaux-du-Loir appellation, as well as a large meadow.
Our opinion
Perched on a hillside in the Loire Valley, this breath-taking edifice, recognised as a regional Historical Monument, represents a link between the romantic imagination of the Middle Ages and the elegance of the early 20th century, while the property invokes all of the finery of a medieval and knightly dwelling with its Gothic arches and slender turrets. As for its interior, it has been updated with all modern standards of comfort and designed with a stately and upper-class atmosphere, whereas the chateau blends in seamlessly with the region’s rolling topography and the grounds, planted with roses and sequoias, have been landscaped to mirror the surrounding vegetation. Only a stone’s throw away from the vineyards of Jasnières, this estate would be ideal for a family in search of space, not far from both Le Mans and Tours.
Reference 881527
| Land registry surface area | 4 ha 90 a 33 ca |
| Main building floor area | 275 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 8 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 420 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.
