Location
Just a stone’s throw from the historic centre of the little town of Brignoles, with its large, Saturday morning market. This little town, once the county town of the French department of Var, has the advantage of being well located courtesy of its proximity to Aix-en-Provence; 40 minutes from Toulon TGV train station; an hour from Marseille airport; 75 minutes from Nice airport; 45 minutes from the beaches in Hyères and Issambres; an hour from Sainte-Croix lake and Verdon Gorges; less than 2 hours from the ski slopes; 5 minutes from small shops and a shopping district.
Description
The main house
The outside dimensions measure approx. 10x20 m. Almost all the bedrooms have fireplaces, all a different marble. The floors are covered with terracotta tiles, parquet flooring, stone or polished concrete and all the windows still have their indoor shutters.
Ground floor
The main entrance and its heavy old door open on to the north side, facing the street, and two other doors provide access to the garden on the south side. A west-facing room is illuminated via a large picture window which lets in copious amounts of light. It is adjoined by a small storage room, with an exit on to the street possible. A door on the north side opens into a little courtyard where a Jacuzzi has been installed, out of sight of onlookers. Adjoining, a large, through kitchen, with an eating area, is set out in an old stable. The floor is laid with stone and polished concrete and an exposed stone wall gives some contrast to the room and enhances its size. The kitchen is extended on the north side by a back kitchen-laundry room and a boiler room, next to the stairway. The remaining space is divided into three lounges with parquet flooring: a first, with a modern fireplace, opens into the second via two symmetrical passageways; a third, smaller one on the other side of the entrance hall, is used as a television room. A toilet and a cloakroom open into the north-south, through entrance hall. The walls of the latter are painted with floral decoration that extends into the stairwell.
First floor
A classical stairway, with terracotta tile steps, wooden nosing and wrought iron railings, goes upstairs from the entrance hall on the road side. The old, north-facing kitchen has been preserved with its potager (a secondary hearth where soups and other previously prepared dishes were cooked on embers), its Cassis stone sink, its Provencal style extraction hood and its cable system for opening the entrance door on the ground floor. A long corridor provides access to four bedrooms, each with two windows overlooking the peaceful, verdant garden. The ceilings are painted with floral, bird or Oriental motifs. The floors are covered with terracotta tiles. The windows feature indoor shutters with diagonal-shaped motifs and panelled lower sections. A fifth bedroom, a shower room, a bathroom, with a bath and shower, and a separate toilet.
Second floor
Four south-facing bedrooms, two small, north-facing bedrooms, including one with a wash-hand basin, a small room, a bathroom, a shower room and a separate toilet at the end of the long corridor. The indoor shutters are plainer than those on the other floors.
The small house
Standing on the west side of the garden and spanning a floor surface area of approx. 80 m², this small house awaits full renovation works. It does, however, still have all of its old features such as a wonderful wood and terracotta tile stairway, terracotta floor tiles, old doors and indoor shutters. The ground floor comprises a room with an old wash-tub, and two other, smaller rooms. Used for storage purposes and for storing firewood, these can only be reached from the outside. The stairway goes up from the entrance hall to two upstairs bedrooms.
Our opinion
This very attractive house, concealed from passers-by, is a wonderful blend of preserved essential authentic features and modern-day home comforts. The current owners have not only renovated this property but also preserved its charm and character. Almost all the nooks and crannies of the garden are visible in all seasons from the adjoining veranda. The small annexe house constitutes a particularly fortunate asset for those wishing to run a holiday accommodation rental or bed & breakfast activity. A well with a pump is an invaluable advantage on these latitudes for inexpensively watering the garden.
890 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 354776
Land registry surface area | 1150 m2 |
Main building surface area | 500 m2 |
Outbuilding surface area | 80 m2 |
Number of bedrooms | 11 |
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.