House buy in Le Mans Pays de la Loire

Stone House With Guesthouses, Indoor Pool And Garden Set In 1.1 Hectares Of Land Period home steeped in character * Main house + 2 separate guest accommodations * Indoor pool and sauna * Enclosed grounds of nearly 3 acres * Several large and well appointed outbuildings As an experienced estate agent I try to look at all of 'our' properties from all angles. It is easy to see how warm and welcoming certain homes are but when it boils down to the 'nitty gritty' I need to know where the faults lie. When I visited this charming home yesterday, underneath the slightly hazy skies of a very warm summer's day, try as I might I was unable to locate any defaults - the roof is perfect, the windows are spotless, the quarry tiles are well laid, the views are superb and even the large barns are in great condition. I am sure there are faults and I'm afraid it'll be down to the future buyer to try and find them - good luck. The current owner has spent time (and a fair amount of money) creating this wonderful home and now recently retired they wish to downsize and travel. Many moons ago the property was rebuilt with the stones and various features from the original chateau that sat on the site prior to being destroyed and today the 'fortified mound' (Motte feodale) can still be seen in the paddock, the timber structure which stood atop is long since gone but this along with the rifle slots to be found in one of the barns give an indication as to the site's heritage. The formal entrance into the main house is front to back and features a magnificent oak chateau staircase leading to the upper 2 floors. To the one side of the entrance hall you will discover a large 'stately' dining hall with large working fireplace and again double aspect allowing plenty of natural light in. Beyond the dining hall you pass through the tower, round on the outside and square on the inside, with original stone sink and window oven (a stone built cradle part of the inside window sill with space for the embers and coals underneath and several recesses in the top for the pots to be placed to heat the meals). The tower leads to the kitchen, fully fitted, with breakfast table and direct access on the south side to the terrace. The door to the north takes you into another 'winter' hallway with access to the courtyard, storeroom/pantry on one side and boiler room (an efficient gas/condensation boiler for the central heating and water) on the other. Returning back the other side of the entrance hall we have a wc, downstairs shower room and large double aspect lounge with another super feature fireplace. From this lounge we have a solid oak door leading to another room (ideal for a small library) and then onto the games room with loft space above that could be exploited if required. Finishing off the ground floor a gated entrance from the games room takes you to the indoor pool and relaxation area. The pool measures 10 x 5m and is heated (heat exchanger), the sauna is infra-red and along with the surrounding area provides a fantastic place to unwind and enjoy. Up the wide oak staircase the first floor landing provides access to the family shower room, separate wc and two large double bedrooms both with double aspect and features galore. Up again the loft space is ripe for conversion into another two bedrooms and bathroom if further space was required. Surrounding the central courtyard we have the first of two self-contained accommodations with lounge and open kitchen and wc on the ground floor and then double bedroom, office space and shower room with wc on the 1st floor. The second self-contained accommodation is set up as loft with large lounge/kitchen, mezzanine bedroom and wc and separate shower room. In addition to these buildings there are also two large barns, the first open at one end with plenty of space for machinery, cars etc. and the second with attached garage, internal workshop, loft space and a very high pitch which has enormous scope for a multitude of projects if needed. There's also the former goat shed currently home to the baby chickens and rabbits. The property occupies a 1.1 hectare plot (nearly 3 acres) with roughly half as an enclosed paddock. The main gates are electric and the graveled drive leads to the courtyard and parking area. There is a sizable veggie patch and various lawn and seating areas. The nearby village can be seen in the distance. There are no close neighbours and the property is very private with excellent access to Le Mans, due East, in around 20 mins. A charming family home with plenty of space for guest (paying or otherwise) and with the pool area and superb characters and features throughout it'll take many years before you need to move on. Viewings are highly recommended as the photos will not do this property justice. Healey Fox Ref Number: HF53404