A former silkworm farm transformed into a charming dwelling,
with its walled garden & view of the chateau, 200 m from the Place aux Herbes, in Uzès
with its walled garden & view of the chateau, 200 m from the Place aux Herbes, in Uzès
Uzès,
GARD
languedoc-roussillon
30700
FR
Location
The property is located in Uzès, whose history remains closely linked to silk production and the rise in sericulture experienced by the whole region between the 18th and 19th centuries. Famous for its dolce vita, multi-century weekly green market, boutiques and the patrician nature of its preciously preserved architectural heritage, the town, with less than 10,000 inhabitants, includes three lower secondary schools, a polyvalent upper secondary school, a hospital and many shops, while, erected on a promontory, it is nestled within a countryside blanketed with grapevines, olive trees and garrigue.
As for the Nîmes-Pont-du-Gard and Avignon high-speed rail stations, they are 25 and 40 kilometres away, respectively, whereas the major motorways can be reached in less than 20 minutes.
Description
With two floors over a garden level and facing north-south, the former silkworm farm, with a floor area of approximately 420 m², was built by the wealthy bourgeoisie of Uzès on an avenue that was created and designed for grand occasions, while the surrounding dwellings, with coursed Vers stone façades, were reserved for the city’s local nobility or wealthy merchant class. As for their cornices, which separate the edifices’ different floors, and window/door surrounds, they are also in sculpted Vers stone, the latter of which is immediately identifiable thanks to its luminous blonde colour.
Cadenced over its three levels by wide, distantly spaced double-glazed windows, safeguarded by white bi-fold wooden shutters, the former silkworm farm has now been transformed into a charming dwelling, whereas, on the ground floor, facing the boulevard, the house’s front door is accessible from the garden, approximately 1,300 m² in size and closed off to the north by a long wall running parallel to the street, which protects the property and preserves its undeniable peace and quiet.
In addition, a projecting sculpted cornice supports its barrel tile roof, typical of local architecture, while legend has it that, this uniformity in terms of Uzès’s rooftops was decided upon after World War II during the Liberation, following talks between André Malraux, then Minister of Culture for Free France, and the dowager duchess, a resistance fighter from the very beginning, who had wished to see, from the windows of her ducal palace, only traditional barrel tile roofs. And so it was done.
Cadenced over its three levels by wide, distantly spaced double-glazed windows, safeguarded by white bi-fold wooden shutters, the former silkworm farm has now been transformed into a charming dwelling, whereas, on the ground floor, facing the boulevard, the house’s front door is accessible from the garden, approximately 1,300 m² in size and closed off to the north by a long wall running parallel to the street, which protects the property and preserves its undeniable peace and quiet.
In addition, a projecting sculpted cornice supports its barrel tile roof, typical of local architecture, while legend has it that, this uniformity in terms of Uzès’s rooftops was decided upon after World War II during the Liberation, following talks between André Malraux, then Minister of Culture for Free France, and the dowager duchess, a resistance fighter from the very beginning, who had wished to see, from the windows of her ducal palace, only traditional barrel tile roofs. And so it was done.
The Charming Dwelling
The ground floor
Bathed in natural light by the fanlight over the solid wood, light-colour double-door main entrance, the vaulted foyer features a Vers flagstone floor, while in keeping with the tradition of the Duchy’s noble edifices, it also contains the dwelling’s stairwell and highlights this floor’s unique layout, featuring commercial premises, currently used as an art gallery, a self-contained flat, of approximately 53 m², a guestroom/home cinema, as well as a bathroom. As for the garden, it is accessible from the first-floor living areas.
The first floor
Accessible via the main stone staircase, on this level’s northern side, where the dwelling remains constantly cool during the summer months, an immense drawing room, also bathed in light to the west and east, features triple exposure. Designed for entertaining guests, it is extended by a terrace, of approximately 38 m², surrounded by an Italianate balustrade, which not only provides access to the garden, but acts as the dwelling’s natural link to its verdant exterior.
As for the fireplace’s mantel, made out of sculpted Pyrenees marble, which was often used in noble dwellings during the Regency period, it is a testament to the craftsmanship of bygone artisans, who were able to deftly combine rigid stone with fluid movement, whereas the ceilings with their long beams carved from a ship’s mast, their more subtle joists and original clay tiles have all been carefully and discreetly restored.
With large original flagstones throughout this level, approximately 60 m² in size, to the east a contemporary kitchen abuts the immense drawing room, while, to the south, a second living area, equivalent in size and featuring a fireplace with a walnut mantel, as well as a modern stone floor, provides a symmetrical counterpart to the first, and a bedroom, set back from the living areas, rounds out the rooms on this level.
The second floor
This floor includes a bedroom facing south with wide windows, a blue-grey tiled bathroom and a mezzanine study with bookshelves, which is accessible via an inconspicuous miller’s ladder.
To the north, a bedroom with eye-catching ceiling beams, whose sandblasted appearance reveals the wood’s original colour, boasts pointed and coursed limestone walls with ochre-colour grout, as well as a fireplace with an understated blonde stone mantel and a smooth plaster trumeau panel. As for the floor, with its original terracotta tiles, burnished with the passing of time, it seems to have absorbed the warmth of Languedoc summers, while the bedroom also opens on to a terrace facing the chateau’s towers.
The Garden and Outbuildings
Sheltered from view, the garden extends to the north behind the dwelling over approximately 1,300 m². Enclosed by walls, it is blanketed in lawn and planted with centenary and, primarily, deciduous trees, as well as olives, box trees and privets, whose springtime blooms exude their characteristic heady perfume.
Not far from the dwelling, a well, in all likelihood from the 17th century, and three small outbuildings, today used as a garden shed, a garage and a greenhouse, can also be found in the garden, which is directly accessible from the dwelling’s first floor via an inconspicuous staircase that descends to the base of the terrace.
Lastly, to the north of the lot, a gate provides vehicle access, by way of a no-through road, to the street, while a lot, of approximately 900 m², could be acquired at an extra fee in order to expand the existing garden.
Our opinion
This dwelling, ideal for aesthetes, provides a living environment straight out of a dream, which has now become a reality, while the property, already spectacular in its own time thanks to its prime address, only a few step’s away from the chateau, as well as its immense urban garden, has now become even more stunning after its meticulous restoration where careful attention was paid in the choice of its building materials, the superiority of which is equivalent to the originals.
Restored with the same majesty as it once displayed, this dwelling from the late 18th century has also been upgraded with contemporary comforts and makes it possible to combine a busy city life with the silence of a garden, completely hidden from the street. With its direct view of the chateau, which few other dwellings in Uzès can claim, as well as the grounds’ potential for additional development, this property represents an exemplary site for a project focussed on preserving this dwelling’s remarkable heritage.
2 350 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 308889
| Land registry surface area | 1300 m² |
| Main building floor area | 422 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 5 |
Aucune procédure en cours menée sur le fondement des articles 29-1 A et 29-1 de la loi n°65-557 du 10 juillet 1965 et de l’article L.615-6 du CCH
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.
