French Property for Sale in the South-West of France: Department Pyrenees-Orientales (66) ;
Region Languedoc-Roussillon

THE HOUSE AN OVERVIEW: 

The original house was built about 400 years ago. It was extended to its current size a hundred years later, while in the last few years the house has been fully renovated and a roof terrace added. It incorporates the original village forge, and the nails in the bedroom doors were hand-made here.

The house is on three floors, but because it is built on a slope two of them can be accessed from street level. The lower ground floor could easily be developed into a gîte.

The house is being sold fully furnished, complete with kitchen appliances - most of which are nearly new.

Summary

- 3-5 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- Dining kitchen
- Separate dining room
- Private roof terrace and another could be added
- Partially renovated lower ground floor - potential gîte
- In friendly village with shop, auberge, restaurant and post office
- Plot of land with potential for garden and pool
- Excellent walking and cycling terrain
- Easy access to coast, skiing and Spain

THE HOUSE IN DETAIL:

Entry through the front door into the upper ground floor comprising:

Hall - 3.6m x 1.5m.

From the hall doors lead into:

Living room - 6.4m x 3.5m
Probably the most interesting room in the house with features dating back to the 1600's, when it was also the kitchen. So here there is the original pink marble sink with tap (handy for the Pastis), a Cossi - a sort of Catalan clay washing machine - and a bread oven.
The floor tiles are the original red terracotta tommettes - about 5 cm thick.
Other features:
A large inset wood burning stove, which also heats the room above.
Aerial connections for terrestrial and two satellite TV services.
Two fitted cupboards and two fitted bookcases, one small and one enormous!

Kitchen - 4.8m x 3.7m
Large enough for eating in and equipped with a double Belfast sink and a Godin wood-burning stove - which can also be used as a slow cooker. The current owners have a dual-fuel cooker, refrigerator and a washing machine in here, but the appliances could obviously be varied. There is also space for a freezer and plumbing for a dishwasher.

Bathroom 1 - 3.5m x 3.1m
Half tiled with washbasin, bath and WC. Fitted cupboards cover one wall, and there is another large fitted bookcase - in case you need a read while you're in here!

From the living room doors lead into:

Bedroom 1 - 4.2m x 3.2m
Currently used as the master bedroom, as it has the best views.
Large fitted wardrobe, separate double wardrobe, double bed and dressing table.

Bedroom 2 - 3.9m x 2.9m
Views nearly as good as Bedroom 1.
Large fitted wardrobe, and two single beds.

From the kitchen a door leads into:

Terrace room - 4.4m x 2.2m
This makes a very good sheltered sitting area if the sun is too hot or if it rains. When the sliding doors are closed in the winter this room catches the warmth of the sun, which in turn warms the kitchen.

These sliding doors - which can be opened fully, and tend to be left so for eight months of the year - lead onto:

Roof terrace - 4.4m x 3m
South-facing and with views to the Spanish border.
Sitting here you seem to be truly among the birds, as they swoop over and around and below you!
This is a lovely outside space and tends to be used for meals through much of the year.
Even in December and January it is often warm enough to have lunch out here.
When the sun is too hot, an electrically operated blind provides shade.

From the living room a door opens onto a staircase at the top of which you turn left into a short corridor leading to:

Bedroom 3 - 4.6m x 2.6m
Large fitted wardrobe with storage cupboard above, separate double wardrobe - and yet another fitted bookcase!
Plenty of room for a double bed and dressing table.

Bathroom 2 - 3.2m x 2.3m
With washbasin, bath with shower, and WC. Because of its location next to Bedroom 3 this bathroom is virtually en suite and so the current owners use these rooms as guest accommodation.

Opposite the bedroom is access to a large L-shaped storage space - 5.1m x 1.2m & 1.7m x 1.3m

Turning the other way from the top of the stairs leads you into:

Bedroom 4 / Cinema room - 6.9m x 3.6m
This room is currently used as a home cinema and computer room, but when needed it doubles as an extra bedroom.
Here there are two more aerial connections for satellite TV, either of which could be easily routed to the downstairs bedroom.
Sockets are also provided here for both telephone lines, allowing simultaneous telephone and Internet access until the expected arrival of broadband in the village.
There is more storage in the roof space accessed by a small door from this room.

Back to the living room and there is another - recently added - staircase, leading down to the lower ground floor. There is still some minor work to be done here, but it is currently in use and comprises:

Dining room - 6.5m x 3.3m
With exposed stone walls and room for an enormous table this a lovely room for dining, and is only just down the stairs from the kitchen.

Pantry - 3.4m x 2.5m
Roomy and naturally cool. An excellent place for storing food and keeping the freezer.

Bedroom 5/Sitting room - 4.2m x 3m
An occasional bedroom - with yet more bookshelves!

Forge - 4.9m x 4m
The original village forge, complete with large granite water trough.
Currently used as a wood store for the wood-burning stoves.
Off this room is a small wine cellar.

Storeroom - 4.6m x 2m

Summer sitting room - 4.4m x 2.9m
This room is work in progress, but really just needs the electrics finishing.
French doors from here lead out onto a small square - another outside space for warm evenings.

Down the steps from the square is access to two other parts of the building:

Hayloft - 7.3m x 5.1m
Used at present for storage. It would be possible to create another roof terrace above this, which would be accessible from the lower ground floor.

And below this:

Stable - 7.3m x 3.6m
There is a water trough inside which is supplied by a continual running source, and there is room for up to four horses.
The stable could if required be adapted as a garage for a small car, but there is off-road parking for two cars immediately opposite the house.

Land
The land is separated from the house by the road - but not by much traffic!
There is a small part that could be a vegetable garden and then about 3,335 m² of field. There is a track running down the side of the field which is shown on the maps as a road and could be upgraded to provide vehicle access - no permissions required - and the current owners had intended to have a pool and summer house built here.