15th and 18th century maison de maitre near Ribérac

 This home is a large, attractive maison de maitre, dating from around 1550 with a facade added in 1773. It sits on top of a hill on the edge of a small hamlet overlooking Ribérac and the Dronne valley. Extremely well situated for access to the thriving market town of Ribérac where there are schools for all ages, supermarkets, restaurants and bars, a cinéma and sports facilities, and of course the Friday market, and only a couple of minutes drive from Allemans, a pretty village with a church, village school, bar and bakers.

 The house sits in an acre of gardens, an attractive feature of which is the walled courtyard with large barn and a lovely pigeonnier which could be converted into a guest cottage as it has its own  private area of garden behind it.  The sunny grassy courtyard has a magnificent productive fig tree with a wooden tree house, a well,a stone outbuilding which at present is used as a playhouse, and various lilac, fir , hazelnut and apple trees. The rest of the gardens are lawned and have mature hedging and box trees, bay trees and an area of orchard. There is also a swimming pool of 9x4 metres, with a pool house and covered seating area.

 Internally, the house has 5 bedrooms, each with a period fireplace, and 2 bathrooms.  On the ground floor there is a spacious  split level kitchen with freestanding handmade oak island units and a godin range cooker set in a large fireplace. A light and attractive dining room leads from the kitchen. This room has an open fireplace with carved stone mantel, and has doors leading both to the courtyard garden and the rest of the gardens. Period double doors lead from the dining room to the sitting room, which has large oak beams and a carved stone fireplace with wood burner. The entrance hall has a very old oak staircase and quarry tiled floor. Off the entrance hall there is a study with quarry tiled floor and original bread oven, steps down to the kitchen, and a door to the snooker room, a spacious room with access to the cloakroom and utility room.

 Upstairs there is evidence of the history of the house from low arched stone doorways to medieval mullioned windows, one of which is now the bathroom doorway, a feature to admire while soaking in the clawfooted roll top bath!

 A huge unconverted attic with stone dormer window allowing breathtaking views over the Dronne valley has potential to create further accommodation, while another extremely large room with a medieval fireplace and access to a first floor covered terrace could be renovated to provide an independent living area or an extra sitting room.

This house is a unique and lovely family home, full of history and character. A very reluctant sale!