In southern Orne, between the Perche and the Sarthe valley,
a restored longère with pool and views across the hills
a restored longère with pool and views across the hills
Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe,
ORNE
lower-normandy
61170
FR
Location
Within the Normandie-Maine regional nature park, the property stands in a hamlet in the Orne département, between the hills of the Perche and the Sarthe valley. The surrounding area is rich in heritage: the gardens of the Manoir de la Bonnerie and a listed flour mill lie close by, while the Château du Mêle is also within easy reach, along with a leisure park, its 16 ha lake, shops and a restaurant. Trains from Sées station, 23 km away, reach Paris in 2 hours; the N12 brings Paris-La Défense within around 2 hours 20 minutes.
Description
At the end of a small lane, set within a 2,000 m² wooded plot, the longère comes into view. Toward the meadows, the outlook opens across the hills of the Perche. In the courtyard, a covered stone well retains its wrought-iron mechanism and faces the entrance, marked by a wide sliding gate set into the fencing. Built in the late 19th century and rising over two levels, the main house extends to the adjoining garage; its rubble stone walls are finished in lime render. Fully restored, the house requires no major work. Together, the buildings frame a generous gravelled courtyard, hedged to the west. Wide windows and small-paned French doors light the elevations, while the gabled roof, punctuated by rooflights, picks up the tones of the tiled roofs of the neighbouring houses. A pool and timber deck sit slightly raised above the garden. A path skirts the property and winds through the bocage down to the river.
The longère and its well
The ground floor
From the gravelled courtyard, a French door opens into a generous living room of nearly 80 m². At its centre rises the staircase to the upper level. Against one wall stands a wide, tall dressed-stone fireplace fitted with an insert, flanked by built-in benches. Underfoot, terracotta and timber combine in a chequerboard pattern, running to the brick steps that lead up to the kitchen. The beams remain exposed. Doors from the garden and from the sitting area both open into the kitchen — a contemporary, fully fitted design in ash. The level also takes in a bathroom, a lavatory and a utility room.
The attic
Above, three bedrooms, a large landing and a second sitting room share the upper level. The half-timbered roof structure remains visible throughout, while gabled dormers fitted with small-paned windows bring in the daylight. The landing offers room for a second shower room. The largest bedroom contains a walk-in wardrobe. A few steps lead down to the two further bedrooms, reached along a corridor lit by its own dormer.
The garden and pool
The garden extends through meadows and flowering borders, with a landscaped copse beside the pool. A timber deck wraps around the pool and continues to the kitchen, forming a dining area beneath shade sails. Along the path down to the river, clipped privets behind wire mesh form a natural screen.
The garage
Adjoining the longère, the garage opens through a door on the garden side and a wide garage door onto the courtyard, where further vehicles can be parked. Its generous double-height interior could be converted into additional living quarters extending from the bedrooms.
Our opinion
A late 19th-century longère, restored in keeping with its rural architecture and ringed by meadows, bocage hedges and the hills of the Perche. The interiors open generously to the landscape, where stone, timber and terracotta set a simple, welcoming register; garden, pool and outbuildings widen the possibilities of a country property that is elegant and rustic in equal measure, within easy reach of the lanes and the river.
382 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 125479
| Land registry surface area | 1901 m² |
| Main building floor area | 207 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 3 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 60 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.
