Up in the heights of the limestone plateaus overlooking the Dordogne River valley, and on the outskirts of the Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park, recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark, Martel is laid out around a town centre with remarkably conserved architectural heritage, while its narrow pedestrian streets, blond stone dwellings and small squares create a balanced composition, featuring a number of shops.
As for the hamlet, quite bustling all year long, it boasts green markets with regional goods, regular cultural events, a host of essential amenities for daily life as well as medical services and academic establishments, all nestled within in this well-preserved part of the Quercy region.
Not far from the Place de la Halle and the Palais de la Raymondie, the dwelling, perched up on a hill, enjoys plenty of natural light and unobstructed views of the surrounding countryside, visible from both its windows as well as its two gardens. Built on the corner of two streets, including one that encircles the historical downtown area, which still bears, in certain places, the outline of what was once its defensive enclosure wall, it is over the latter that the dwelling was constructed, the origins of which date back to the 13th century, a time when the city was establishing its commercial role and fortifying its borders.
Transformed into a more comfortable civilian dwelling in the 17th century, before it was further adjusted in the 19th century, today, it has preserved a sort of layered architectural style, which subtly bears witness to the city’s long history.

The Dwelling

The main façade, facing south, looks out over the property’s gardens and stands out thanks to its commanding position, while a stone staircase, safeguarded by a wrought-iron guardrail, leads to the garden, located to the east, via a stone doorway topped with an ogee arch.
Directly opposite, a door opens on to the dwelling’s interior staircase, whereas the edifice’s northern exterior, more austere in appearance, is cadenced by windows and doors in a wide variety of sizes and is accessible via an entrance on the ground floor, surrounded by stone and topped with a low arched lintel as well as a crest carved with the date 1668.
Extending on from the dwelling, to the west, a former barn, integrated within the building structure itself, features a garage as well as other converted spaces on its upper floors, while the four-storey dwelling, including a vaulted cellar and a converted attic level, is topped with flat tile gable roofs punctuated by dormers with decorative triangular pediments.

The ground floor
Past the threshold on the dwelling’s northern exterior, an entrance hall provides access to the ground floor’s different rooms. To the right, a utility room with tall windows provides access to a vaulted stone cellar from the 13th century, located under the former ramparts, with rubble stone walls and a floor featuring both beaten earth and stone, while extending on from here, the barn, converted into a garage, features access to the western garden as well as a straight wooden staircase to its upper levels.
Back in the entrance hall and to the left, a billiard room, with lime-plastered walls, boasts a stone fireplace with monumental jambs and a straight lintel, whereas, further south, a room designed for watching films and playing video games, is equipped with state-of-the-art acoustics.
In addition, this floor also includes a machine room and a lavatory, while nearby a stone staircase leads to the dwelling’s upper floors.
The first floor
On the first floor, a landing provides access, to the east, to a large bedroom (29 m²) and an immense bathroom (24 m²), while the bedroom, bathed in light, features a chevron parquet floor, lime-plastered walls decorated with patterned wallpaper, as well as small-paned windows. As for the bathroom, it combines parquet floors and tiled walls with mashrabiya-type screens, whereas a second bedroom, next door, comes with its own shower room.
To the west, the living areas form an L shape around the second garden and provide direct access to the latter via glass double doors, while the dwelling’s two dual-aspect living rooms have preserved their parquet floors, fireplaces, crown moulding and soaring floor-to-ceiling heights. In addition, the kitchen, with its own dining area, stands out thanks to its visible ceiling beams, combining painted scroll-shaped joists from the 17th century with a coffered ceiling from the 19th century, as well as a Renaissance-era fireplace and cupboard, whereas a central island and a Madagascar labradorite granite table provide an eye-catching touch of elegance for this functional space.
The second floor
On the second floor, a landing provides access to a sitting room, a large bedroom with a bathroom, a second bedroom with a shower room as well as a study. As for the rooms, partially under the eaves, they feature visible wooden rafters and parquet floors, while the shades of their lime plaster walls and wallpaper create an attractive and relaxing vintage ambiance.
Extending on from here, an independent suite includes a bedroom, a shower room and a wardrobe, and communicates with the converted spaces in the barn, which are spread out over two levels and designed with a more contemporary style. Here, two bedrooms, a study and a room, whose conversion remains to be defined, were designed with a bold look, emphasised by striking black walls.