Three houses with swimming pool in a 13-hectare haven of greenery in the heart of the Quercy hills between the Lot and Tarn-et-Garonne regions - ref 4
Three houses with swimming pool in a 13-hectare haven of greenery in the heart of the Quercy hills between the Lot and Tarn-et-Garonne regions.
On the edge of the Causse de Limogne limestone plateau, the property is located in a regional hotspot for green tourism, with three protected natural areas, including the Causses du Quercy Geopark and two natural zones of ecological interest, fauna and flora. Truffles, foie gras, saffron, fruit and wine all form part of a gastronomic heritage that is the pride of the region. The region also boasts a wealth of traditional crafts, such as hat-making, as well as a mostly rural architectural heritage featuring the white stone typical of the Quercy region.
15 minutes from Caussade, halfway between Cahors and Montauban, 30 minutes from Toulouse and 1 hour 10 minutes from Albi.
Turning off a country road that winds through the valley, the entrance is marked by two white stone pillars. A track runs alongside the orchard and leads to the three buildings on the property. Comprising a barn and two houses dating from the early 19th century, all comprehensively renovated, they stand close to each other. Each dwelling has its own outdoor space, cleverly delineated by elegant lawns surrounded by flamboyant but perfectly controlled gardens. To the right of the former barn is an annexe used as a workshop.
As is often the case in the Quercy region, the dwellings and outbuildings are erected in close proximity or only a short distance apart, sometimes separated by courtyards with soft contours. The barn and the main house have been linked so as to form one dwelling. The guest house has remained independent.
The three buildings are of white stone, the rectangular openings have wooden frames and green-painted shutters, and the one, two or four-pitched roofs feature monk-and-nun tiles.
Large trees and a few bamboos provide shade and freshness around the houses, very much appreciated during the summer months in this southern region. Opposite the entrance, slightly set back from the buildings on the other side, there is a swimming pool. The grounds beyond, made up of meadows and oak woodland forming a lush green oasis, slope gently down to a small stream that forms the boundary of part of the property.
The barnConverted into a dwelling, the barn has a pavilion roof, one side of which is extended by an additional, gently sloping pitch. One of the hips forms a canopy over the entrance, sheltering the terrace and the whitewashed facade.
A few steps lead up to a three-leaf glazed door, facing south-east, which opens directly into a sitting room of almost 65 m². This vast room features an impressive ceiling height and walls painted in a very light yellow. It showcases the timber frame providing structure and the striking mezzanine. Two windows topped by a set of six small square panes complement the light flooding in through the glass door. An insert fireplace set on a stone base adds a modern touch. An old cast-iron spiral staircase leads up to the light-coloured wooden mezzanine comprising a reading area, a raised section where the roof is at its highest and a storage room.
The floor, entirely finished in large light-coloured tiles, gives the room a certain homogeneous feel and extends on to a kitchen, accessed on the right through a passage in a wide stone wall. Situated under the long, supplementary section of the barn, it is lit by four windows and a glazed door providing access to the vegetable plot. The kitchen includes a scullery. The walls are painted, just as in the living room, with the exception of the exposed stone dividing wall. A cast-iron range cooker set against this wall completes the kitchen, which is equipped with all modern fixtures and fittings.
Below the mezzanine, a step provides access to a corridor serving a study and the sleeping area of the house: a ...
