La Franquié

Property Description

Key Features:

- Detached and facing SSW
- 5 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms, 6 WCs
- 1.35 hectares, 3.34 acres
- Countryside silence, amazingly clear night skies
- Spectacular views to the Montagne Noir and occasionally the Pyrenees
- Wheelchair friendly
- Shutters and double glazing


Full description: Property style – Farmhouse

A sympathetically restored stone farmhouse extended by the present owners part way into the barn, with 5 bedrooms, a family bathroom, en suite shower room to the main bedroom and a total of 6 WCs. There is a barn of 9x12.5m, a car/caravan port of 5.5x18.5m, a garage of 6x9m with workshop same size above. The garden is mainly to grass, with natural hedges without blocking the beautiful views across farmed fields to the hamlet of Saint Cirgue and beyond towards the Pyrenees. 2 wells provide water for the garden and greenhouse. The remote controlled entry gates start the 100m drive and a nearer gate to the brick paved courtyard between the house and the swimming pool of 49sqm. Broadband is currently enjoyed, the aeolian augments the house supply, and the power from the photocells on the workshop roof is sold to EDF. Thanks to the solar panels, we never need to use the boiler during summer months. The market town of Valence d’Albigeois is 5km away, and the Unesco historic prefecture city of Albi within 30 minutes. The river Tarn at the popular village of Ambialet is only 10 minutes away. The airports of Rodez and Carcassone are an hour away The international airport of Toulouse is 90 minutes away and flies everywhere.
The Taxe d'habitation was €1,430 in 2016 for two adults plus €125 for TV licence.
The Taxe foncière was €2,150 in 2016. These taxes depend of the number of occupants.

Property Specification

OUTSIDE. Entrance to the property is through two drives each with remote controlled gates. There are many mature and more recently planted trees and bushes, creating privacy whilst allowing clear views over the spectacular countryside. The garage 6x9m (54 sqm) and its workshop above has a covered outside terrace looking over the swimming pool, providing ideal space for dining. On the other side is a covered woodstore, and on the south side of the garage is a gravelled seating area under a vine. There is a pavilion and a roofed bus stop for school collection.

COVERED FRONT TERRACE A lovely place to sit looking across the courtyard and pool to the distant hills. Front door to inner hallway, and side door to inner lobby for the snug and kitchen.

INNER HALLWAY has a tiled floor and doors leading off to the kitchen, a visitors WC and washbasin, the lounge, the cool storage room, and the stairs to the first floor. Under the stairs are pegs for hanging coats etc. Radiator

KITCHEN 4.8x5.2m (25 sqm) This farmhouse style kitchen has traditional wood cupboards and drawers, marbled effect white worktops, sink, tall fridge and an under worktop fridge, fitted microwave oven and traditional oven, electric hob with extractor over, and dish washer. Revealed beams. Doors to back kitchen and lobby to snug. Radiator

BACK KITCHEN Contains double sink unit, cupboards, and shelving on three sides. Folding door to boiler room, door to pantry, and corridor to laundry room and separate WC. Access to well. Radiator

BOILER ROOM Contains Viessman Vitola 200 boiler running on fuel oil, which heats radiators throughout the house and hot tap water. Also a Viessman Vitocell 100 heat exchanger taking heat from solar panels on the roof, and heating hot tap water, which avoids running the boiler during summer months.

PANTRY A walk-in pantry, shelved.

LAUNDRY ROOM with raised area to assist easier use of appliances, hot and cold water supply, drain pipe, and tube for expelling hot air. Radiator

WC

SNUG 5x5.2m (25 sqm) is reached by the lobby, has revealed beams and tiled floor. 2 radiators

LOUNGE 5.6x5.9m (33 sqm) is reached from the inner hallway, has a tiled floor, a Brisach feature open fire, double doors with double glazing opening to front terrace, and glazed doors to library. 2 radiators

LIBRARY / MUSIC ROOM 5.6x4.7m ( is it’s current use, but this useful space with tiled floor could be a playroom. Radiator

COOL STORAGE ROOM runs along the back of the lounge and library, and being partly below the outside ground level acts like a cellar. Opening to

GARDEN TOOL ROOM 6x6.8m (41 sqm) with double door access to courtyard.

Stairs lead to LANDING with windows to front and rear, door to barn, door to main bedroom and corridor to other bedrooms. Radiator.
It should be mentioned here that the door to the barn means that disabled people can be wheeled from the ground floor via the courtyard and slope to barn external doors, and thence into the corridor to the bedrooms. This has already proved itself essential for disabled visitors.

MAIN BEDROOM 5x5m (25 sqm) has two sets of windows to front, and radiator.
It has an en-suite room, with shower cubicle, WC, bidet, washbasin, heated towel rail, and extractor.

BARN 9x12.5m (112.5 sqm) with modern wood flooring capable of taking the weight of cars.

Corridor with book shelving for visitors’ light reading, and cupboards below. Off this are the other 4 bedrooms, family bathroom, separate WC, stairs to attic, and airing cupboard. Radiator

BEDROOM 2 3x4m (12 sqm) with windows to front. Radiator

BEDROOM 3 4x4.4m (17.5 sqm) with 2 sets of windows to front. Radiator

BEDROOM 4 2.9x5.2m (15 sqm) with windows to front. Radiator

FAMILY BATHROOM with bath, bidet, shower cubicle, WC, and washbasin. Heated towel rail

SEPARATE WC

BEDROOM 5 with windows to rear overlooking fields, currently used as an art room. Radiator.

Stairs to:

ATTIC 8.8x10.8m (95 sqm) into the eaves, has two Velux opening roof lights and windows in the West wall. At floor level are six small opening windows, a feature of this district. Currently used as a family room and study, with the telephone line entering the house at this point, access is easy for internet usage. 4 radiators.

From the courtyard:

FORMER WINE CUVE with two redundant vats, and mezzanine floor. Used for storage of garden furniture. Contains the pump to bring water from the wells.

GREENHOUSE 2.4x6.2m (15 sqm) built very solidly by a local craftsman.

POOLHOUSE containing the sand filtration and pump, with solar panels heating water for a washbasin, and storage cupboards. Accessed by a separate external door, WC with its own washbasin.

GARDEN AND FIELD are fenced in. The property is surrounded by fields. The aeolian is a Skystream 3.7 producing up to 2.5kw.


From the driveway:

CAR / CARAVAN PORT 5.5x18.5m (101 sqm) (against the barn, with tiled roof, the far end walled to protect the 2500 litre fuel tank.