This farm in the hamlet of Retal, set away from the village, stands on the site of a former fiefdom manor, whose purpose was transformed into an agricultural one in the 17th century. A stone wall runs alongside the road leading to a 17th-century gate, set back from which there is a medieval porch, through which a carriage gate and a pedestrian gate pass, marking the entrance to the property. It opens onto a vast, square courtyard around which stand the buildings, most of which boast exposed stonework and tiled roofs. The differences in height, the dormers, plus windows as well as doors with stone surrounds form a property that has retained the utmost in character that is typical of former Brie sector farms. Portions of cobbled paths lead to the various buildings.
On one side, there is a U-shaped main building. Its oldest part includes a porch incorporating exposed stonework with half-timbering beneath a tiled roof. Next to it, set perpendicularly, there is a three-storey square tower from which extends a long, stone-built wing punctuated by dormer windows. Another perpendicularly set wing stands on the third side of the courtyard. The various buildings boast a total surface of approximately 1,000 m². There are also looseboxes next to the building, while a self-contained house stands on the other side of the courtyard. To the rear, a swimming pool can be found in a wooded area, away from the buildings.

The residence

It has been fitted out for a large family and divided into several separate parts. They all have separate entrances meaning they can remain self-contained, though equally they could be converted into a single home.

The upstairs
The main section contains several self-contained parts, in addition to which there are communal spaces and utility rooms. The first dwelling can be reached via the pedestrian gate next to the porch, which leads to a stone staircase and a terrace. From there, a kitchen leads into a living room with a fireplace boasting a wooden beam as a lintel. A semi-open partition of bricks and half-timbering separates the two spaces. In the dining area, the flooring is made up of terracotta tiles, while in the lounge there is wood strip flooring, beneath a ceiling underlined by moulding. Two tall windows look out onto the garden. From the living room, a corridor leads to two staircases, one of which descends to the ground floor while the other leads to the top floor. A landing leads to three bedrooms, a bathroom and a games room, with views of either the courtyard, garden or swimming pool. The exposed roof frame is one of the property’s most remarkable elements. The wooden arches lead up to the roof ridge, forming a profile reminiscent of an upturned boat hull all along the length of the room.
At the end of the games room, there is a landing from where a door leads into a second dwelling, which includes two bedrooms, each of which has an en suite bathroom, as well as a lounge on a mezzanine above the kitchen. The roof frame is exposed right up to the ridge, while a wall with exposed stonework and tall bookshelves provide structure to one of the sides.
A split-level studio apartment forms the last dwelling, in which the lower level is made up of a living room alongside a small kitchen and bathroom. A wooden staircase leads to a bedroom on a mezzanine on which there is a guard-rail with balusters.
The ground floor
From the landing at the end of the games room, a staircase descends to a vast tiled room incorporating storage space. It in turn leads to a large bedroom with wood strip flooring and an adjoining bathroom as well as an imposing kitchen. Beneath the exposed joists, a long central island unit contains cupboards beneath a countertop, opposite kitchen units along the wall. There is exposed stonework in certain parts of the room. At one end, there is a dining area set around a table and the outside can be reached directly from the kitchen. Several steps then lead to a vast dining room with terracotta tiled flooring, while the ceiling is punctuated by imposing beams between the exposed joists. On one wall, there is a large fireplace with stone jambs and a carved wooden lintel above a brick hearth, while an arched door opens onto the courtyard. The dining room leads to a large lounge that is also paved with terracotta tiles. There are exposed beams on the low ceiling, while the stone fireplace is topped by a masonry hood. At the other end of the room, a bar area can be found close to the windows. Both rooms open onto the courtyard and swimming pool.
At the back of the lounge, a door leads to a former crypt. A stone column stands in the centre of this room, with a capital supporting the barrel vaults which blend into the walls. The exposed stonework is accompanied by small windows, carved out of the thickness of the walls, through which light pours in. On the floor, terracotta tiles surround a circular cobbled area at the foot of the column. The crypt leads to an office with exposed stonework on the walls, beneath a ceiling with exposed wooden beams and joists. In the oldest part of the building near to the porch, a utility room and a wooden staircase lead to a separate dwelling above the entrance. On the top floor, a landing leads to a bedroom, a lounge, a small kitchen and a shower room.