The old home of a 'bailli' with a guesthouse and pool, beside a 13th-century Benedictine Abbey
in a historical town above the banks of the River Lot
Agen, LOT-ET-GARONNE aquitaine 47000 FR

Location

The little town, which looks down at the Lot, a river that long provided its wealth, is 45 minutes from Agen, its TGV train station and its airport as well as 15 minutes from a motorway slip road that is 110 kilometres from Bordeaux and 130 kilometres from Toulouse.
The Lot Valley is renowned for its mild climate, its rich heritage and its orchards.

Description

This residence stands in the middle of the old town, adjoining a Benedictine Abbey, steeped in history. A medieval street leads to the house’s wooden entrance gates. The outside wall is constructed from half-timbering with small brick masonry filler. The window overlooking the street features modest wooden mullions, but those of the windows on the south facade, hidden from the street, are made of stone; wealth always being concealed on the inside in the land of the Huguenots. The gates open into a little paved courtyard separating the two wings of the house. The Abbey wall facing the entrance supports a covered area that leads to the garden. Closed by a wicket gate, said garden is dominated by the nave of the Abbey, together with its stained glass lancet windows, and is surrounded by a thick boxwood hedge which also screens the swimming pool. Another wicket gate leads to the large house’s second terraced garden, providing a splendid view over the Lot Valley as far as the hills in the Serre area. The land slopes steeply down to the river.

The little dwelling

The first house, on the right-hand side on entering, is adjoined to the Abbey’s apse wall. This building, probably once the old stables, has been restored. Its walls have been lined and mains gas central heating installed. Facing south, it opens on to a shady patio providing access to the garden and its swimming pool.


The ground floor
The large, south-facing living room opens into the courtyard via a French window, flanked by two small windows. The floor is covered with terracotta tiles and the ceiling is panelled. The end wall features an 18th-century carved wood fireplace in working order that is fitted with a roasting spit. A door leads to the kitchen, also with terracotta floor tiles and illuminated via a small window overlooking the courtyard. On the left-hand side, a doorway set at the foot of the wooden stairway, going upstairs, holds a surprise: it leads to the apse of the church, revealing superb stone walls, the beginning of an arcade and a little capital. Visible through the partition wall, this section now included in the house could provide additional character to the main living room.
The first floor
A corridor provides access to two bedrooms and their shower room. Both rooms, one following on from the other, have a straight ceiling, strip pattern parquet flooring and a large wardrobe. They each look out over the entrance courtyard via a small-paned window. The shower room is at the end of the corridor. It comprises a walk-in shower, a bidet and a wash-hand basin. It is illuminated via a small-paned window which looks out over the narrow street.

The old home of a 'bailli'

The property’s main house is one of the oldest in the town. Its very old walls are constructed from small faded pink bricks laid in horizontal rows. This residence has two entrances: directly from the narrow street via old double doors or from the entrance courtyard via a French window, featuring linenfold panels and dating from the 17th century.
The internal restoration works await completion.


The ground floor
This house opens on the south side via a large room with a low ceiling, supported on two large, oak beams and with wide strip pattern bare wood flooring. The 19th century, moulded fireplace has been condemned as its flue blocked the mullioned windows, now restored, on the upper floors.
Three contemporary style French windows, on the south sides, open on to a terrace planted with olive trees. This room is steeped in light. Time has long stood still in the kitchen, reached via the entrance hall. Everything needs to be done around its stone sink, its double “potager” (a secondary hearth where soups and other previously prepared dishes were cooked on embers), its paved floor and its condemned fireplace.

The first floor
The wooden steps of the winding stairway are grafted on to a single tree trunk, spanning all levels. Said stairway leads to a landing room, with bare wood flooring and exposed beams. Wide planks of wood form the partitions of the stairwell. A wooden mullioned window, with 19th century, leaded stained glass, looks out on the north side over the narrow street. A toilet has been put under the stairway and a makeshift shower installed in a corner of the room. Old double doors on the south side open into the large room where residents spent most of their time in bygone days. The wall separating it from the landing room is composed of cob mixed with pebbles from the river Lot. This extremely bright room has a French ceiling and wide strip pattern wooden flooring. The 17th century fireplace is in good working order. A stone mullioned window, with stained glass, faces south; the other west-facing window looks out over the gallery to the cloister which is clearly to be seen at the end.
The second floor
As on the first floor, a landing room, with exposed beams, wooden flooring and a wooden mullioned window, opens into a large room set directly above the one on the floor below. The French ceiling comprises enormous beams; wide strips make up the bare wood flooring. A stone fireplace is on the east side, a mullioned window faces south and another west. The splendid view from this room stretches westwards over the cloister and the convent garden, southwards over the Lot plain and takes in the distant hills of the Serre area.
The attic above spans the floor surface area of both rooms. Its roofing framework has been redone.

The cellar
The main stairway also leads down to the vaulted cellar, where a long corridor, also vaulted, goes in the direction of the cliff overhanging the terrace. The stone silo preserved there was previously used for storing the wheat involved in river trade, and the substructures that can be seen beneath the packed mud floor indicate the presence of several levels now covered up.

Our opinion

Not only was the main house long home to the 'bailli', the town’s official legal representative, but also its history is linked to that of the adjoining Abbey: clearing the garden revealed the terracing where monks once cultivated vines that produced a wine similar to Sauternes. This piece of the monarchy will appeal to history enthusiasts seeking to revamp a very old dwelling, a gem from the Reformation and local history, even if it means turning it into some kind of a museum, something that is still lacking in the town. Rental of the small dwelling as a seasonal holiday accommodation unit could help with financing. This residence, with its swimming pool, comprises a cosy, unequalled setting for spending long weekends exploring this particularly attractive region, far from the hustle and bustle despite being just a stone’s throw from Bordeaux, Toulouse and even Paris.

Exclusive sale

495 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense


See the fee rates

Reference 808242

Land registry surface area 1298 m2
Main building surface area 300 m2
Number of bedrooms 4
Outbuilding surface area 100 m2

French Energy Performance Diagnosis

Consultant
South-West Lot-et-Garonne

Armelle Chiberry du Vignau +33 1 42 84 80 85

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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.

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