Stunning 4-Bedroom Village House in One of most Beautiful Bastide Villages in France; Monpazier (24540)

Property Description

Summary
Stunning 13th century village stone house in one of most beautiful bastide villages in France; Monpazier (24540)

This is a unique opportunity to own a piece of history. This deceptively large, semidetached village house (235sqm heated), built about 1286, is in the heart of this popular bastide village.

The entrance to this stone house is on the famous Carreyrou du Chapitre (“carreyroux” are pedestrian walkways throughout the village), which runs behind “La Maison du Chapitre” (see history below). The house is located near the famous village square, the Place des Cornières, making it ideal for walking to all Monpazier restaurants, shops (hosting both Spar and Petit Casino markets), pharmacy, brewery/pub, and St Dominique Church. Monpazier offers everything you need to live full time (or part time) in this quaint, quintessential French village.

This spacious, versatile, comfortable home is ideal for family living, a ‘lock & leave’ property, investment rental opportunity, or a wonderful vacation home for those wanting to get out of the big city but still have all amenities available. We live here comfortably year ‘round.

Location
MONPAZIER (24), THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SOUTHWEST BASTIDE

The southwest of France has more than 300 bastides today and Monpazier is certainly the most famous and best preserved Bastide in Perigord. Founded in 1284, by Edward 1st and Pierre de Gontaut, then bishop of Biron. Monpazier will dive you better than any other in the mood of these “new” cities of the Middle Ages!

The village, as you visit today, forms a quadrilateral. Three of the six gates are fortified, streets stretch from one end to the other, parallel to the large sides, crosses four, thus, dividing the city into rectangles.

The bastide is organized around a grid of streets and carreyrous (alleyways), defining building plots of equal size. Andrones, small gaps of 30 cm between two buildings, were used for evacuation of waste and rainwater and so acted as firebreaks.

Strolling through the streets, exploring the carreyrous and admiring the Place des Cornières will make you see the uniqueness and exemplarity of this bastide (a masterpiece of architecture and urban planning), which is why Monpazier was regularly considered by great architects, (such Viollet the Duke or Corbusier), as the ideal model of bastides. The wealth of this built heritage has prompted important protection measures: historical monuments, and outstanding heritage sites.

“La maison du Chapitre” located near the church, on Rue Notre Dame, is the most imposing house of the bastide, by virtue of height and width. It housed the church canons (the Chapter) and served as a treasury for goods collected as tithes, a form of Church taxes. Today, it houses a popular boulangerie and coffee shop.

The presence of Monpazier as a member of the remarkable sites and cities of France, its ranking among the most beautiful villages of France, the Fleuris Villages (1st flower), reflects a permanent concern to value the existing heritage and its environment.

Monpazier is rich in exceptional economic fabric for a municipality of 534 inhabitants: more than 70 merchants and craftsmen welcome you on a daily basis throughout the year. More than 22 artists and artisans are set up in Monpazier. Workshops, open to the public (mostly year round), are an opportunity to discover different art and meet creators who exert their talent with passion.

Monpazier is a festive and cultural bastide; its many animations throughout the year rhythm the life of this most beautiful village of France: medieval animations, book festivals, concerts, outdoor theatre...

It is a Gourmet Bastide: All local products of Périgord (foie-gras, magrets, confits, wines...) are present in Monpazier, to buy or consume on site:

- During the market with ceps under the hall on Place des Cornières (open every day during growth),
- During the Truffle market (in winter).

Bastide Nature: The natural areas surrounding Monpazier (its forests, with more than 200 km of marked hiking trails) allow for beautiful walks in a magnificent setting.

The socio-professional category most represented in the municipality is that of employees and workers. The dwellings in the town are divided into 85% houses and 15% apartments.

Access
Access by car to Monpazier (24540)

Closest train: Belves 16 kilometers

Closest airport: Bergerac 40 kilometers

Interior
Three floors offer generous living and storage areas:

Ground Floor:

The entrance to the house is on a quiet cobblestoned carreyrou, rather than on one of Monpazier’s livelier streets. The ground floor has a beautiful entry foyer, a summer kitchen, and a sitting area with a large sliding window looking out onto the carreyrou, offering natural light and the beautiful ambience of natural sandstone.

The summer kitchen is a wonderful convenience when grilling or entertaining in the carreyrou, offering cabinets, a large sink with hot water, and plenty of space for a refrigerator and countertop appliances.

Also on this floor are a newly renovated WC (2021), and a small workroom/boiler room. New floor tile was installed on the ground floor in 2020.

First Floor:

The centuries-old elm stairs lead up from the ground floor to the first floor. A beautiful renovated “American Kitchen” greets you at the top of the stairs. The kitchen includes all top appliances: Refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher, oven, microwave, and dual cooktops (both gas and electric). It is a chef’s dream kitchen, professionally designed, (not Ikea) with ample counters, beautiful glass-front cabinets, stainless steel sink, large pantry cabinets and eat-in bar space. Two sliding doors into the kitchen keeps the space fully useable. A double window, and an additional window above the cooktop, provide plenty of natural light in the room.

A large salon of 40 sqm is to the right of the stairs, featuring a magnificent wood burning fireplace with the famous “Salamander” stone carving representing King Frances I, a great patron of the arts. This large room is perfect for entertaining, with ample space for a full-sized dining area in addition to sofas, comfy chairs, and a TV cabinet. Ceiling fan and a double window overlooking the beautiful Carreyrou complete this room.

There are two bedrooms on this floor: the larger bedroom features an original (non-functioning) fireplace, built-in closets, shelving, ceiling fan, and double-glazed shuttered double window. The smaller guest room also has a double-glazed shuttered window. These two bedrooms could be converted into a roomy master bedroom, if so desired. There is a newly renovated family shower room complete with double sinks, large tiled shower and terra cotta floor tiles. Across from the bedrooms is a laundry room which has space for full-sized washer and dryer and a full sized wardrobe for linens. Oak parquet wooden floors complete this first floor.

Second Floor:

The second floor greets you with a newly renovated (2021) reading snug. There are two additional bedrooms on this floor: one very large bedroom (renovated in 2022), which would easily take a king size bed, enjoys a lovely view of Monpazier through the bedroom window, and also features two opening Velux skylights for plenty of light and ventilation. The smallest bedroom takes a single bed and features an ensuite toilet and one Velux opening skylight. The ensuite WC also includes a bidet.

There are three additional rooms which could be used as storage or additional bedrooms. We currently are using them as: a music recording studio, a storage area, and a workshop. These three rooms could benefit from renovation/updating, but are fully usable with electricity, heat, and light. There are a total of 9 skylights (7 opening Velux) across this floor to give lots of natural light. This attic floor is a large space and has vast potential!

Total Heated: 235 sqm “loi Carrez”: 159 sqm “Hors loi Carrez”: 76 sqm ( on second floor only)

Exterior
There is no garden attached to this village house, but there are garden lots available to purchase for additional cost.

Since this house is on a carreyrou, free parking is easily found 50 steps in two different directions.

Roof maintenance was just recently completed (2021) installing a new waterproof cap on the ridge line and replacing several old and/or broken tiles.

Additional Details
The house is on mains for water and sewage.

Central oil-fired (Buderus) radiator heat in all main rooms on all three floors. Fully functional wood-burning fireplace in the salon.

Fast internet is available and a SKY dish is already mounted and available for service, if desired. The carreyrou can be used for BBQing and for dining al fresco with family and friends.

First-place winner “Diploma des Maison Fleuries” 2018 and 2019 (category: Balcons, Terraces et Fenetres)

La Croquant Restaurant is our convenient downstairs neighbor with whom we share a co-propriete, but there are no condominium fees.

Fonciere tax: 1,068/year Buyer pays notaires fees and closing costs