The Domaine
€350,000
An elegant country domaine with 400m² of living space, extensive outbuildings and 2.8 hectares, waiting for its next chapter.
Set in the Charente countryside near Chérac, this substantial former demeure de maître offers around 400m² of living space across three floors, surrounded by approximately 2.8 hectares of established grounds.
For me, the appeal is in the simplicity of the architecture. There is nothing particularly elaborate about the house, and I think that is exactly why it works. The long, quiet façade, regular windows, blue shutters and terracotta roof give it a wonderfully uncomplicated French character.
Inside, much of the architectural language is already there. Ceiling heights rise beyond three metres, the windows are beautifully proportioned and there are old timber floors, fireplaces, joinery and a particularly lovely staircase. It doesn't need reinventing. A little more definition in places, some panelling, proper architraves and cornicing, and suddenly those generous rooms could feel quite special.
The house currently provides 14 rooms and eight bedrooms, with large reception spaces and plenty of scope to rethink the layout as part of a wider restoration.
And then there are the buildings beyond the main house. More than 300m² of additional space is spread across several wings and outbuildings, some arranged over two levels, alongside an old bread oven and a small chapel.
There is work to do here, certainly, but I don't see a house that needs transforming into something else. I see one where the character is already present and where a relatively restrained hand could amplify what is there.
At €350,000, with 2.8 hectares, 400m² in the main house and those extensive outbuildings, it is the combination of simplicity, scale and possibility that makes this one particularly interesting.
