Country Estate

Five Bedrooms, a Pigeon Tower and Not a Neighbour in Sight

Every so often a property comes along that makes you wonder what the catch is. Here it is, and it’s a small one: the kitchen is still in its boxes.

This is a fabulous small country estate, set in 4.2 hectares of the most idyllic countryside, with no close neighbours and nothing to look at but the rolling valleys of the Tarn-et-Garonne. At its heart is a substantial five-bedroom stone country house dating from the 18th century, with bags of charm and the good bones to match. Around it sits a collection of period outbuildings that are quite simply some of the prettiest I’ve seen in a long time. There’s a pigeon tower, an open barn, a stone barn and several more, plus a well, should you wish to go fully self-sufficient. Add a 13 x 5 metre swimming pool and sun terrace, and this house quite literally has it all.

It has been the subject of a great deal of work and is presented in very good shape. The kitchen has been ordered but never fitted, and there are a few other finishing touches to complete. This has been allowed for in the price, and it would all have been done by now but for a change in the owners’ circumstances. Their loss is your opportunity: the chance to finish a rather splendid house in exactly the way you like.

Inside, the five stylish bedrooms are complemented by a super bathroom and a shower room. The sitting room is flooded with light, with exposed stonework and a log-burning stove for the cooler months. Double doors lead through to the kitchen, which has an open fireplace and a beamed ceiling, and will be the heart of the house once the cabinetry arrives. Below, the vast ground-floor basement rooms offer endless possibilities: a separate apartment, a gym, a wine cave, or all three if you’re feeling ambitious. The house also has oil-fired central heating and double glazing.

Outside, the established grounds include a fruit orchard and cypress trees, with fabulous views in every direction. If you’re looking for a private, quiet mini estate in good structural order, this will take some beating.

All of this is just a short drive from Cazes-Mondenard and its excellent facilities, with the historic towns of Lauzerte and Montcuq close by.