Two apartments and a shop in a townhouse in the centre of Argentan, Normandy.
The third largest town in the Orne is situated 188 km from Paris via the N12 and 15 minutes from Falaise. The private mansion stands on a lively street in the Saint-Germain district, close to the listed church of the same name and a stone's throw from the Château des Ducs (Dukes' Castle), which was once the residence of Eleanor of Aquitaine. All the shops and public services are within walking distance, as is the SNCF railway station, which links to the capital in 1 hour 45 minutes. Crossed by the River Orne and land of horses with many stud farms, this tourist region is home to some of the most emblematic sites of Norman heritage.
The property is surrounded by houses and private mansions, some of which are listed. Built in the 18th century, the L-shaped mansion spans four stories, one of which is in the roofspace. An imposing carriage porch opens onto a square courtyard, where a stone staircase topped by a canopy leads to the cellars. There is one flat on each floor. A door at the foot of the staircase leads to a passageway connecting to another courtyard, featuring the blue house opposite the mansion's inner facade.
The mansionThis mansion owes its name to Charles Alexandre du Bois de Belhôtel, who bought it in 1760. The large wooden porch is surrounded by limestone blocks and supported by two buttresses on the courtyard side. A staircase in one of the wings, set at right angles to the building, leads to the flats. The lime-rendered coursed rubble masonry walls feature corner quoins. A carved cornice enhances the upper part of the building just below the slate roof. Two arched dormers with columns and raised pediments protrude from the roof. A chimera not unlike a gargoyle juts out from one of the dormer windows. The frames of the windows on the courtyard side form an irregular in-and-out bond. The street facade has large small-paned windows. The flatsThe ground floor flat faces the tree-lined courtyard and the blue house. It is lit by a large picture window overlooking the street. Located on the first and second floors, they two other dwellings are accessed from the two courtyards by winding stairs with wide flagstone steps. The inner wall is of sandstone masonry. A small shed has been fitted under the staircase. The 79 m² flats have the same layout, they comprise two bedrooms on the courtyard side, a bathroom or shower room, a kitchen and a living room with a fireplace on the street side. The exposed beams enhance the high ceilings. A door in the corridor on the second floor conceals open stairs leading to the attic lit by shed dormers. A small room on the landing adjoins this flat. The blue houseA comprehensive renovation will need to be carried out to restore its original character. The ground floor of the house comprises a living room with a fireplace, a kitchen and a toilet. A bedroom and a shower room are located on the first floor Built of stone and sheltered from view, it has a gable roof with terracotta tiles. A quaint and cosy gravel courtyard with trees separates the blue house from the right wing.
