An 18th-century manor with a swimming pool, outhouses
and five hectares of grounds, tucked away in Normandy
and five hectares of grounds, tucked away in Normandy
Alençon,
ORNE
lower-normandy
61000
FR
Location
The property lies 10 minutes from the town of Alençon in the south of France’s Orne department in Normandy. Alençon town centre has preserved a gem of built heritage: the Château des Ducs. Not far away, there is Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, officially recognised as one of France’s most beautiful villages. Indeed, this village is also home to a wealth of built heritage. The local region is renowned for its tradition of ceramics, which began in the 18th century. You can reach shops and amenities for everyday needs in just a few minutes. From Alençon train station, you can get to Paris in two hours by rail. The charming town of Mortagne-au-Perche is just 30 minutes away. And via the N12 trunk road, you can reach the La Défense business district of Paris in just 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Description
The manor dates back to the 18th century. It was built for an important family from Alençon. The estate is set back from the local village, at the end of a lane. A wrought-iron gate leads through an enclosing wall into a court, around which there is a walled orchard, a swimming pool, a workshop, garages and an outbuilding with a music and reception hall with a floor area of over 80m². In front of the manor, a lush lawn extends to a lake. The edifice has a central section and two wings. It has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. The rendered facade is classical in style with quoins and window surrounds of exposed dressed stone. A conservatory extends the interior out towards the parkland. The manor is crowned with a steep slate roof. Inside, the home offers a 480m² floor area.
The manor
The ground floor
The entrance hall connects to the different rooms around a central staircase. On the ground floor there is a dining room, a living room, a vast lounge and a kitchen. Large windows look out at the court and garden. Oak doors hide an alcove in a wall of the kitchen. This alcove forms a pantry. Most of the rooms have old fireplaces made of granite or oak. From the kitchen, a door leads to the conservatory or the entrance court. The kitchen has a floor of large square terracotta tiles. Exposed beams run across the ceiling. Fine ironwork embellishes the separations between the spaces. A reception room lies at a right angle to the main section. It adjoins the first garage and offers a floor area of over 80m².
The first floor
On the first floor, four bedrooms with fireplaces are spread out on the court and garden sides. They lie beside a bathroom and a shower room, as well as a television lounge.
The second floor
In the roof space, there are four large bedrooms. They are filled with natural light from dormers and are separated with a landing.
The reception hall, garage and workshop
A 17th-century stone barn stands at a right angle to the manor. It houses a 90m² court-facing reception hall. Its roof is covered with old tiles. Dressed stone forms the arch of a doorway where a broad door leads into a garage with a floor area of around 100m². Inside, the exposed roof beams showcase a wooden-floor mezzanine. A Gothic-style granite pediment of a doorway displays a coat of arms. At the back, a large door leads out to the orchard and another gate can be used for caterers and deliverers. Opposite the swimming pool, there is a double-size workshop that serves as a storeroom.
The swimming pool
The swimming pool was built recently. It covers around 30m². The pool sits in a large terrace edged with groves.
The parkland, orchard and lake
A bridleway separates the estate in the middle. The grounds are dotted with tall, remarkable trees, including blue Atlas cedars and an araucaria. Poplars, hazelnuts, willows and purple maples reflect in the lake water. There are several fruit trees, growing straight up or espaliered, and which produce apples, cherries, pears and plums. A greenhouse for cuttings and seedlings lies behind an outbuilding.
Our opinion
The classical design of this fine manor, the presence of useful outbuildings and the arrangement around the court recall the spirit of the old dwellings that dot rural Normandy. Inside, the reception room and annexes offer a wide range of possible new uses without the harmony of the whole place being disrupted. And around the house, the grounds offer delightful vistas between remarkable trees, an orchard and a lake, in a landscaped backdrop that naturally extends the character of this unique home.
790 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 426415
| Land registry surface area | 5 ha 18 a 28 ca |
| Main building floor area | 480 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 7 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 300 m² |
| including refurbished area | 80 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.
