Osakehuoneisto osta in Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouet, Normandia

South exposed 8 bedroom gite property suitable for large groups with separate one bedroom caretaker's accommodation set on a plot of 1.5 acres with a swimming pool near the market town of Saint Hilaire du Harcouët in Normandy. The property has been successfully and consistently let over a considerable length of time. Built in around 1640, the property was a working mixed-use farm until the mid-1970s. Built in three stages - the farmhouse first, and then the two barns (currently the kitchen and dining room respectively) a few years later, with the lean-to stable at the end (now the TV lounge) added in the 18th century. The property has double glazed upvc windows with the exception of one window. The main renovations were carried out in 1993 with further upgrades including the electrical wiring system in 2013. The property is situated in a small village 4kms from the town of Saint Hilaire du Harcouët that has one of the biggest markets in the area on a Wednesday morning and takes over most of the town centre. The town has all amenities including some great restaurants, bars, and cafes. THE ACCOMMODATION IN THE MAIN HOUSE On the Ground Floor * Entrance hall (1.8m x 2.8m) A glazed double door opens to a tiled entranceway and laminate-floored entrance hall, with some built-in bookcases, a radiator, four power points and an understairs storage area (which is plumbed and vented and so can be used for a washing machine and dryer, and has two additional power points). * Shower room (1.2m x 1.8m) A toilet, washbasin and shower (with radiator). * Library-lounge (6m x 5.8m) From the entrance hall to your left is the main living space. This has its own south-facing double-door exit to the patio. Featuring the original 17 th century beams (all treated and stained dark oak), a Villager woodburner inset into a tiled fireplace, with chestnut and oak bookshelves built-in on either side. Very spacious, it currently has seating for about 14 people on four sofas (one a sofabed) and two armchairs. The concrete floor is carpeted over the top of a previous laminate floor, and there are two radiators. The main electricity supply is beneath the (non-opening) uPVC window, and there is a coaxial cable leading to the satellite dish, with a total of 14 power points. * Kitchen (5m x 5.6m) From the entrance hall to your right down a step and passing through what used to be a metre-thick external wall, there is the large, slightly 'L'-shaped kitchen with original beams. Kitchen units (from Ikea) have been painted with blackboard paint with brass cup handles, and a 1.8m x 1.8m square island with four stools dominates the centre of the room, with hanging storage from the beam above. There is a dishwasher, an eye-level electric oven and a 90cm range oven/five-ring hob. There is additional plumbing (for example, for a washing machine) both to the immediate left of the double sink and in the understairs cleaning cupboard, which features an original 17 th century oak door and two power points. The concrete floor is a combination of laminate flooring and tiles and there is a large south-facing triple uPVC window and large radiator, and there are a total of 18 power points, most of which are at worktop level, including one 20 amp point for the eye-level oven and a 32 amp point for the range cooker. There is a horizontally-mounted 100 litre hot water tank in one corner beneath the worktop which provides hot water solely for the kitchen. * Dining Room and Bar (5.2m x 5.8m) Taking another step down from the kitchen, a second barn has been converted into a dining room and bar. It runs north-south across the entire width of the house, and has two exits - a wide 1000mm door to the south-facing patio (with adjoining uPVC window), and a smaller, 700mm door leading the covered woodstore/workshop area at the rear (currently used as an all-weather smoking area for guests). Currently featuring an antique (c. 1910) oak 3m long dining table and a second smaller oak table extension, plus 24 dining room chairs (6 of which are from the original oak dining set). There is a semi-built-in bar, with a Beertender cask beer fridge and wine cooler, plus a sink, under-bar storage and wall cupboards. This area was once an understairs toilet, and beyond the partition wall behind the sink there is all the plumbing to reinstate a toilet if so desired. The concrete floor has cushioned linoleum and there are two radiators, and four of the ten available power points are currently blanked off. * TV lounge (3.4m x 4.6m) A further step down from the dining room leads to the double-height lean-to, originally a calf stable. This is now a TV lounge, but in previous incarnations has been everything from a self-contained studio to a spacious kitchen (with multiple plumbing points on the north wall should anyone wish to reinstate them). There is a 1000mm wide side door which has been sealed shut, and a south-facing full height uPVC window. Coaxial cables lead from the small window in the corner of the room to the French terrestrial aerial and the satellite dish outside. Many of the 14 power points are at worktop level, this room having previously been a kitchen. The concrete floor is carpeted and there are two radiators. * Laundry/toilet (1.5m x 1.2m) Just off the TV lounge is a small downstairs toilet and washbasin, with a washing machine and tumble dryer. The floor is tiled, and there is space behind the toilet (in the understairs area) for a 100 litre hot water tank, should that need to be reinstated, and there is a small radiator. * Mezzanine (first floor - 2.4m x 2.5m). Originally a double bedroom, this mezzanine area is now used as a linen and supplies storage area, accessible up a set of stairs. There is a single radiator and 8 power points, with a small ventilation window in the roof. Upper Floors There are four staircases in total, including the mezzanine above the TV lounge). Staircase A leads from the entrance hall and takes you to bedrooms 1 to 4. Staircase B leads from the kitchen to bedrooms 5 and 6, and staircase C takes you from the dining room to bedrooms 7 and 8. Bedrooms have thus been grouped according to their staircase. Staircase A These stairs lead to a galleried (the balustrades are the original cattle feeder from the old barns) landing (1.4m x 2m) providing access to bedroom 1 ('The Gold Room'), bedroom 2 ('The Blue Room') and a toilet/shower room in addition to access to the further stairs taking you to bedrooms 3 ('The Asterix Room') and 4 ('The Moon Room'). There is one power point and a cupboard containing a 200 litre hot water tank (which supplies water the bathrooms in this section of the house, including the downstairs shower room). First Floor A - Bedroom 1 - 'The Gold Room' (4m x 5.6m) * Featuring the original oak beams and exposed oak floorboards, this is the property's master bedroom. * Very spacious, it currently contains a king-sized bed, with matching Louis XIV-style bedhead, side cabinets, dressing table and six-drawer dresser (all refurbed in 'shabby-chic' white chalk paint), plus a single bed and a cot. * There is a walk-in wardrobe (1.5m x 0.6m) and an ensuite bathroom (1.2m x 1.8m), with full bath (with shower above), toilet and handbasin (with a radiator). * The bedroom has a floor-to-ceiling uPVC window with Juliet balcony, two radiators and eight power points. First Floor A - Bedroom 2: 'The Blue Room' (3m x 3.2m) * A king-sized bedroom with ensuite bathroom, this room has a small understairs walk-in closet/wardrobe and currently contains a king-sized bed, two sidetables and a dresser/dressing table. * The room is carpeted and there are five power points, one of which is currently blanked-off but easily reinstated, and a radiator. * The ensuite bathroom (2.9m x 1.8m) has a full-sized bath (with shower above), toilet and washbasin and towel rail-style radiator, it has a north-facing Velux window set into the roof, and the floor is tiled. First Floor A - Family Shower Room (1.2m x 3.6m) A bathroom for the family rooms on the floor above, this contains a toilet, washbasin and shower with one radiator. Second Floor A A further set of (original) stairs leads to Bedrooms 3 and 4 - a galleried landing (again using the old cattle feeders as balustrades) provides access to the two bedrooms and a toilet. There is a Velux window opening onto the landing. Second Floor A - Bedroom 3 - 'The Asterix Room' (4m x 4.5m) * A childrens' or family room, this currently contains four single beds (two of them bunk beds) with a set of drawers and a bedside table. * There is a Velux window and a radiator and the floor is carpeted. An original oak pillar sits in the centre of the room, and there are four power points. Second Floor A - Bedroom 4 -'The Moon Room' (4m x 2.2m) * This currently contains a king-sized bed, wardrobe and dresser, and the floor is exposed, white- washed chestnut floorboards. * There is a Velux window with black-out blind, a radiator and six power points. Second Floor A Toilet (1m x 2.4m) Contains a toilet and washbasin with a hardwood floor and a radiator. Staircase B First Floor B - Bedroom 5 - 'The Rose Room' (4.2m x 3.8m) * Staircase B opens onto a small landing providing access to The Rose Room, with a carpeted floor, south-facing uPVC window and built-in wardrobes. * This currently contains a king-sized bed, two bedside tables, a dresser and a coffee table, all renovated in 'shabby-chic' grey chalk paint. There are six power points and a radiator. * The ensuite bathroom (2m x 3.2m) has a hardwood floor and contains a full bath (with shower above), toilet and washbasin, and there is an access panel to the 200 litre hot water tank which serves this room and the shower room in bedroom 6. Second Floor B - Bedroom 6 - 'The Maghreb Room' (3m x 4.5m) * Presently staircase B leads directly to bedroom 6, with a curtain in place of a door (largely for thematic/decorative reasons) - there is plenty of room to construct a small landing and install a door. An original oak pillar features in the centre of the room, the floor is exposed whitewashed floorboards (actually slightly pink) and the ceiling goes right up to the original beams and roofline - all the beams have been treated and are in sound condition, despite some historical bowing many centuries ago. * The ceiling is draped in fireproofed white curtains, and the room contains a king-sized bed, wardrobe, small Moroccan chest, bedside table and a four-drawer storage unit. There are two very large Velux windows (this room gets very warm in summer), a radiator and six power points. * The L-shaped ensuite shower room (2m x 1.8m) contains a toilet, washbasin and shower and has a linoleum floor. * There used to be a doorway from this bathroom into Bedroom 8 (on Staircase C), which could be easily restored should anyone require it. Staircase C Staircase C leads from the dining room to a small landing, with access to the 200 litre hot water tank which serves Bedrooms 7 and 8 and the bar sink. First Floor C, Bedroom 7 - 'The Green Room' (3.2m x 5.8m) * This very spacious bedroom sits astride the full width of the house, and has uPVC windows to both the north and south, and is carpeted throughout. * In the north (rear) section of the bedroom there are three built-in wardrobes and a single bed (with radiator and four power points). * The southern (front) section contains a king-sized bed with bedside cabinets, a dresser and a dressing table, with a further radiator and another eight power points. * There is a small 'love seat' built into the alcove containing the south-facing window. * The ensuite bathroom (1.8m x 3m) has a hardwood floor and contains a full bath (with shower above), toilet and washbasin, with a radiator. * There is also an additional standalone shower cubicle which is currently blocked off, as the wasterwater drainage was leaking, which necessitated us to repair the floor in the bedroom itself due to water damage. * Following those repairs, expediency meant that we merely sealed off rather than repaired the cubicle for the 2022 season. Second Floor C, Bedroom 8 -'The Yellow Room' (3.2m x 4.2m) * Another spacious bedroom containing a king-sized bed, dressing table and bedside cabinets, this room contains six power points and a radiator and has a south-facing Velux window. * A doorway from this room (behind the bed) used to lead to the bathroom in bedroom 5 (at the top of staircase B) and this could easily be reinstated. * The ensuite bathroom (1.8m x 3m) has a hardwood floor, one radiator and contains a bath with shower above, washbasin and toilet, and has its own small Velux window. Cidrerie (6.7m x 4.8m) * The 'cidrerie' cottage used to house the farm's cider press - the remains of which have been used to create a semi-circular flower bed at the west end of the garden beneath an oak tree. * It used to be an annex bedroom let with the gite, but was turned into a 'caretaker's cottage', with a bathroom and small galley kitchen, but the renovation is only partly complete. * Living area (4.8m x 4.8m) The main entrance opens directly into a double-height living space with two west-facing uPVC windows. There are some built-in shelves in the alcove, and built-in drawer units, and otherwise the concrete floor is carpeted, there are six power points and four radiators (plumbed into the main central heating, zone 2). * Kitchen (2m x 2.8m) A step down from the living area takes you to a galley kitchen, with feature Belfast sink. There are four power points, and behind the kitchen units in the understairs area there is a 100 litre hot water tank. * Bathroom (2m x1.8m) A sliding barn-style door separates the kitchen from a small bathroom, with 140cm bath plus shower above, a washbasin and a toilet. * Mezzanine Bedroom (3m x 4.5m) Behind the entrance door is a small twisting staircase leading to a platform mezzanine bedroom, containing a double bed, dressing table and two bedside cabinets. At a level 75cm above this mezzanine is a storage area (2.5m x 2.5m) with hanging rails and space for dry storage of personal. OUTSIDE * The property is approached via a lane which leads to a designated parking area. * The drive leads to the side of the property. * The gardens are laid to lawn with various outbuildings and an * In-ground swimming pool which is fully enclosed. OUTBUILDINGS * Garage (7.5m x 2.6m) The garage contains the mains water (which is split into five sections, allowing easy isolation of a portion of the property without affecting the entire supply), and the central heating oil-fired boiler, along with three pumps and their corresponding timeclocks (allowing the property to be divided into three zones for heating purposes). There are four power points. * Workshop/laundry (4.5m x 2.4m) A room that has served a variety of purposes, including most recently a music room (hence the soundproofing), this is now the workshop and main laundry. Currently fitted with (brand new in 2022) washing machine and dryer, there are plumbed points for an additional two washing machines, should they be required, and a venting point for one additional tumble dryer. There is also the plumbing for a radiator (which has been removed), and six power points. * Wood store/smoking area (3.8m x 2.4m) A partly-open additional storage area used previously as a woodstore, a workshop and currently as an all-weather smoking area for guests, this space has access directly into the house through the * door that leads to the dining room. There are three power points. * Pump house (3.2m x 1.7m) The pump house, a former pigsty, contains the pipework for the pump and filter for the swimming pool, but also has a large covered concrete hardstanding with 1500mm door that has typically been used as garaging for a ride-on mower. It has both electrical power and mains water. * Bread oven house (3.5m x 3.5m) Unconverted, this little building provides useful exterior storage. The roof is in need of repair, and the ground is the original earthen floor. However, due to construction in the 1970s of large chicken coops, this building has a concrete plinth which extends 1.5m (x its full length of 3.5m) to the east, and 4.8m (x3.5m) to the west - right up to a stone retaining wall that provides protection from the lawned area above. There is a large stock of the terracotta tiles the building is currently roofed in, and mains water and mains electricity have both already been trenched to the building, both terminating just behind the doorway - only wastewater has not. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION * Mains water and electricity are connected. * There is a telephone line coming into the house but it is not in use. * Internet is provided via a 4G Modem. * Drainage is to an all water septic tank. * Oil fired central heating. * VIDEO - available on request ABOUT THE AREA & ACCESS The property is situated in a small village 4kms from the town of Saint Hilaire du Harcouët and just over 1 hour from Saint Malo and the ferry port. St Hilaire du Harcouët has one of the biggest markets in the area on a Wednesday morning which takes over most of the town centre. The town has all amenities including some great restaurants, bars, and cafes. It also has a park with two adjoining lakes and a childrens' playground. There is an indoor pool with a spa and a water slide. Crazy golf is available with clubs and balls for hire from a nearby bar. Fishing and horse-riding are within easy reach. The town of Mortain 20 minutes away offers a great outdoor pool, stunning scenery and beautiful waterfalls. The property is 3 minutes away from the Normandy/Brittany border and is set in the countryside, within easy access of the main ferry ports, Cherbourg, Ouistreham (Caen), and St Malo (at most 1.5 hours drive) and Le Havre (about 2.5 hours). The nearest mainline train station is at Vire or Avranches (30 minutes away) with regular trains to Paris taking about 2 hours and 35 minutes. The UNESCO heritage site of Mont Saint Michel is about 45 minutes away by car. And Before You Ask Exposure: South Condition: Good general condition Heating System: Central heating (oil) Reason for selling: Property too big / small Condition of Roof: Good condition Drainage: Recent septic tank Gas Supply: Gas bottles for cooking