A 16th-century manor with outbuildings and 1.5-hectare grounds,
40 minutes from Angers, in a Loire Valley village
40 minutes from Angers, in a Loire Valley village
Saumur,
MAINE-ET-LOIRE
pays-de-loire
49400
FR
Location
In an area listed as UNESCO world heritage, this municipality boasts a rich River Loire boating history, a form of transport that was essential for trade along its waters, from Nantes to Roanne. The river offered a natural link and joins two cities of the former Anjou province, namely Angers and Saumur. A chapel dedicated to pope Saint Clement I, the patron saint of bargemen, was erected in 1505 and the 19th-century church that replaced it today houses a museum that pays tribute to this cultural heritage. The location of the property is set back from the levee, between the River Loire and Authion, where green landscapes, fields of various crops and streams combine peacefully. The towns of Longué-Jumelles and Saumur are respectively 8 and 17 minutes away by car. A junction on the A85 motorway is 15 minutes away, meaning Paris can be reached in 3 hours by car.
Description
A back road leads to a gravelled drive lined with pyramid-shaped hornbeams that runs through the property. This former seigniory with “a noble residence, vineyards, meadows and woods” is mentioned in writings as far back as 1415 when it belonged to the County of Trêves. Archives still hold traces of its first several occupants, who were sommelier to the King, cavalryman or a gentleman servant to Queen Marguerite. The manor has three-storeys and is topped with a gabled slate roof. The edifice is also flanked by a rectangular staircase tower, topped with a slate hipped roof.
The tuffeau stone façades are punctuated with mullion and lattice work or single mullion windows with moulded frames. A vast tithe barn is set perpendicularly to the manor house, serving as a reminder to the time of centralised seigniorial tax collection, as was the case in the neighbouring earldoms in Trêves and Cunault, less than 1 kilometre away. There are also adjacent, two-storey, former stables. The other outbuildings are made up of a restored bakehouse with a bread oven and stove, another building awaiting restoration and a summer kitchen installed in the ruins of a former dovecote. In the grounds, between the tuffeau stones of the façades and the foliage-rich hedges, there are plenty of intimate spaces, while further away, to the south of the orchard, a vast, grassy expanse offers broad views over the surrounding countryside. The property stretches over a surface of approximately 1.5 hectares.
The tuffeau stone façades are punctuated with mullion and lattice work or single mullion windows with moulded frames. A vast tithe barn is set perpendicularly to the manor house, serving as a reminder to the time of centralised seigniorial tax collection, as was the case in the neighbouring earldoms in Trêves and Cunault, less than 1 kilometre away. There are also adjacent, two-storey, former stables. The other outbuildings are made up of a restored bakehouse with a bread oven and stove, another building awaiting restoration and a summer kitchen installed in the ruins of a former dovecote. In the grounds, between the tuffeau stones of the façades and the foliage-rich hedges, there are plenty of intimate spaces, while further away, to the south of the orchard, a vast, grassy expanse offers broad views over the surrounding countryside. The property stretches over a surface of approximately 1.5 hectares.
The manor
The ground floor
From the east-facing courtyard, an entrance door with a finely chamfered frame opens into a vast, approximately 43-m² lounge. The floors are paved with terracotta tiles, while the walls are made up of exposed ashlar and rubble stone. The ceilings also boast exposed beams and joists. The tuffeau stone fireplace is flanked by two jambs and topped by coving typical of buildings dating from the same era. The doors with ironwork or linen-fold decoration, wooden window frames, interior shutters and window seats are evidence of the careful restoration work conducted using traditional techniques and materials. On one side, a door leads into a bedroom with an en suite shower room and lavatory. The west-facing garden can be seen through a bullseye window in the façade and another door leads directly to the manor’s exterior. On the other side, an opening leads into a dining room. Following on from this room, either side of the fireplace, two openings lead into the kitchen. The range of shades and patterns formed by the terracotta tiles in these three rooms is remarkable and in no way detracts from the coherence of the overall effect. These rooms are all dual-aspect and each open out onto the patio and garden or onto the courtyard.
The first floor
Set back from the lounge, a tuffeau stone staircase with slate paved steps is bathed in light through a window set beneath blue/grey half-timbering. It calls back to when the staircase was open to the elements and boasts an uninterrupted view overlooking the grounds. On one side, it leads to an approximately 47-m² master bedroom with windows on three sides, terracotta tiled flooring, a tuffeau stone fireplace, exposed stonework and exposed beams. On the other side, a corridor leads to two other bedrooms, one of which has an en suite shower room.
The attic
This approximately 73-m² level with an exposed roof frame has recently been insulated and hooked up to the plumbing, electricity as well as central heating. Depending on the intended purpose of this space, some finishing work will be required.
The outbuildings
In the property’s beginnings, they bordered the courtyard, sheltering the manor on its eastern side. Today, they are made up of four separate buildings. The tithe barn and the former stables form the northern wing of the property and are both made of tuffeau stone and topped with slate roofs. Set slightly away from the manor’s courtyard, there is a large building awaiting restoration, boasting significant potential for development. A more modest building, which was previously the property’s bakehouse, has been restored to the same standards as the main dwelling. It boasts a fireplace, a bread oven and a masonry stove, which was the ancestor of the stove. Next to this building, in the ruins of a former dovecote, a summer kitchen has been installed.
The grounds
Lilac, honeysuckle and jasmine bushes occupy the place where the former southern wing of the manor stood, closing the lawned courtyard. Opposite, a grapevine climbs up and along the walls of the stables, at the foot of which lavender grows. To the rear, near to an old walnut tree, a patio can be reached from the dining room and provides welcome outside shade in summer. Cherry trees, prune trees and pear trees have been planted in the south-facing orchard, after which the surrounding countryside stretches out towards the horizon. The landscaped grounds are watered thanks to an artesian well.
Our opinion
This authentic 16th-century manor, set in the age-old landscapes of the Loire Valley, a land of history and tradition, has been restored with exemplary care over the last twenty years. In tuffeau stone and slate, the buildings form an elegant illustration of noble architecture, enhanced by flowery and tree-filled grounds. No work is required on the exterior or bright interior of the manor, which today boasts the utmost in modern comfort. As for the outbuildings, they boast the potential for further restoration, with a view to accommodation or reception activity.
895 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 201653
| Land registry surface area | 1 ha 49 a 8 ca |
| Main building surface area | 260 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 4 |
| Outbuilding surface area | 360 m2 |
| including refurbished area | 20 m2 |
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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.
