Picardy Farmhouses
Picardy farmhouses were foremost built as farm dwellings, and then converted into homes. Rural farmhouses are different from urban ones.
The rural properties are clearly distinct from other farmhouses in the area by the fact that the courtyard is completely closed and thus the house itself is not visible from the outside.
These farmhouses generally have a courtyard and outbuildings like barns, stables, cowshed. The outbuildings are living proof of their agricultural usage in years gone by.
Bricks are used to build urban farmhouses in Picardy, and they are often less massive. Many dwellings referred to as farmhouses in the Picardy region do not have a closed courtyard. Sometimes the massive porch with its wide entrance gate also serves as a pigeonnier, formerly a sign of wealth and power.
The use of bricks is obviously typical of the area. When it comes to farmhouses they generally are used only along windows or doors as well as on the lower part of the wall on which stones are added. On the roof, the classic flat tiles are used.
Sometimes a cellar and wine warehouse accompany the house. The roofs are often steep due to the coastal climate, as much as 45 degrees in some parts.
Brick farmhouses are also common in the eastern and southern parts of the neighbouring Upper Normandy region. The Picardy farmhouse displayed on the above picture is typical of the regional style with bricks forming the base of the wall and stone upon it; bricks being used to decorate only. The roof tiles are flat and the general appearance is elegant.