Sumptuous estate & elegant farmhouses

close to Lectoure & Condom

A long track leads to a farm gate. Beyond here, a private lane continues for a long expanse until at last a small clearing opens, and a first glimpse of the house can be seen.

Framed by trees and verdure at the entrance to the inner driveway, the stone walls appear golden, contrasting nicely with the careful green of the shutters. There is a mellowness here which is apparent, and a sense of calm. The driveway is immaculate, the farm buildings to one side visibly in excellent condition and in keeping with the beauty of the house. The gentle curve of the end wall of the house leads the eye to the lie of the land beyond, and the rise of the countryside beyond, much of which is private to this estate.

Here we should stop to mention something important – the silence.

This is a world unto itself. We are so far from any other neighbour, it is easy to forget that we are only a short drive from the most popular part of Gascony : a short distance from the ever-popular market town of Lectoure to one side, Condom on the other, on the outskirts of a lovely old village with shops and restaurants and a boulangerie! – always important to have at hand!

Once inside the grounds of the property the outside world falls away.

The entrance to the main house is beautifully shaded in summer by an old productive grapevine which trails its way over a bespoke wrought iron support which offers a perfect spot for a shaded lunch’

The hallway offers a walk-in room for coats and boots (with a built in safe) and a downstairs cloakroom and shower-room.

The hallway invites us to join the spacious kitchen/breakfast room which also has a door leading to the afore mentioned shaded area. This is a wonderful room, divided into a kitchen area, with a central island (an extremely sociable spot to sit and eat bread, cheese and drink wine – as we discover) and a cosy sitting-room with a lovely old fireplace in which there is a CLEARVIEW wood-burning stove.

From here we discover the central linking glass and metal conservatory – which is a delightful and extremely clever light-filled space which creates the perfect junction between the two buildings. The division is so seamless that it is only on a tour of the gardens that it becomes clear from the outside that there were once two stone properties and not one and the two have been linked together. This space holds a dining-room table, though informal meals are served around the central kitchen island.

Beyond this conservatory type linking room is a rear sitting-room with under-floor heating. This is a grand room, with an impressive CLEARVIEW woodburning stove and high vaulted ceilings. A mezzanine runs high above one wall. This room has double-aspect windows and is a perfect area for formal entertaining.

Beyond this section of the property there is a downstairs bathroom, a reception room and a downstairs bedroom which has French doors to the gardens at each end. all these rooms benefit from underfloor heating and the bedroom has an Italian ‘Ravelli’ pellet stove. This area was initially intended as accommodation for an elderly parent, being on ground floor level. A staircase leads to the upstairs bedroom, which is an impressive and beautiful room, also benefitting from underfloor heating. It opens out onto the mezzanine which could be used as a study area, above the main reception room. This entire section of the property (sitting-room, two bedrooms, downstairs bathroom) may be separated from the rest of the house to provide a private guest-suite or a gîte if desired.

The other bedrooms and sitting rooms lie along the corridor on the other side of the property and above here on the first floor.

The two separate wings of the property span out from the central kitchen area, ensuring a maximum privacy for guests, or an extended family. There is a sense of space, which is understandable when we remember that once these old stone buildings would have housed two or more families in days gone by.

On the other side of the kitchen is a downstairs study, with a CLEARVIEW woodburning stove and views to both front and rear gardens, and a sitting- room, currently used by the owners as a private reception room housing another beautiful CLEARVIEW woodburning stove and the television is secreted away in an old armoire. This is a beautiful light room, and it opens out onto the rear terrace with views over the fields behind, and views of the private lake which belongs to the estate. When the current owners purchased the property, this room was used at the time as a bedroom and could easily be dressed as such. It is very easy to envisage the creation of more bedrooms for a larger family.

Above the study is the master bedroom. This is a vast room with a CHARNWOOD woodburning stove, for cosy winter nights.

Between this upstairs bedroom and the bathroom is a large central landing, spacious enough to be used as an upstairs study, and a beautiful bathroom with a free-standing tub occupying a central position, a shower and a separate laundry-room.

Gone are the days when the washing machine is housed outside in a draughty barn. For utmost convenience the laundry can be done and put straight away, the laundry room occupying a discreet position beyond the bathroom behind a private door.

There is also a spacious walk-in dressing room. This section of the property (master-bedroom, landing, master shower-room, dressing-room and laundry) form a perfect private master suite for the owners at the far end of the property from other guests.

Comfort and light are the watchwords throughout – and with full gas central heating, and six wood-burning stoves, future owners need have no fear of shivering through the winter months!

Who would this property appeal to?

This property is the perfect rural haven for lovers of nature, wildlife, and the rolling Gascon countryside. the entire perimeter of the estate has been stock fenced since the present owners have lived here making it a perfect property for anyone with horses. Anyone appreciative of the importance of planting trees for our planet will appreciate the enormity of works carried out in landscaping the land so far. There is a wealth of majestic mature trees some in excess of 100 years old which are a delight to behold through the seasons.

Since their purchase of the property, the current owners have planted over 500 trees, each one of which has been chosen for its colour, its essence, its fruit, or its suitability for the region. Native hedging plants to this area follow the fence line around the property which over the years will afford nature a haven in which to live. An area of the land has also been planted with fruit trees promising a flourishing orchard in years to come.

It is easy to imagine a beekeeper living in this small paradise; a lover of birds or perhaps someone who would like to develop a small-holding and live “The Good Life” in harmony with nature.

The property will appeal to all lovers of organic farming, as the land has been free of any pesticides over its entire twelve hectares since the day it was purchased.

There is a happy blend of natural woodland, pastures, and garden around the property itself, as well as useful outbuildings. There would be enough pasture for sheep, or horses, cows or any other number of four legged creatures. The Gers countryside has often been home to a diverse range of animals including ostriches and llama. With twelve hectares of land available the possibilities are endless!

This property also marries sheer perfection in the quality of its renovations with rural life. There is not a hint of the rustic farmhouse here. This is a light-filled, gorgeous home, with every contemporary comfort one could wish for. The rooms are spacious, there is a touch of modernism, elegance and style.

The property and its grounds are mellow. If your visions of a farm are purely utilitarian, then this property will refresh your vision, and show you that it is possible to live in a rural backwater, on a smallholding or ancient farm, and yet be bathed in comfort – whether it be in the sumptuous bathrooms, or the spacious kitchens.

Our thoughts here at Bliss:

Karen: Je suis amoureuse!

If the description of this text is effusive, then this time, I offer only the slightest of apologies. Sometimes in life, or in love – the heart soars at the sight of something extra special. Something which is so rare and desirable that it is worth throwing all caution to the wind – and saying: This is special. This is magical.

It is rare to find such an expanse of land in such a highly sought-after area.

It is rare to find such a beautiful property with such attention to detail, that only the finest artisans can have put their mark on these walls.

This is a home in the truest sense of the word.

The mellow golden stones promise happiness for anyone who lives here. Whether it be in the summer, collecting fruit from the many trees in the orchard, or sitting under the lovely old trees, or in the winter snug before one of those 6 woodburning stoves! Every room is bright and zinging with light. This property enables future owners to move in at once, light up a stove, and crack open the champagne without further ado.