quiet hamlet in dordogne country
House for sale near Brantôme
- 250,000 EUROS
- renovated, insulated, new electrics
- 217m2 space, 895m2 garden
- cul-de-sac of three houses
- barn, outbuilding
- rural
4-storey stone house, and 16th-century cottage with barn, outbuilding. click on pix for captions
ABOUT THE MERLE HOUSE
Multiple buildings
The property consists of a 4-storey stone French village house built in 1946, knocked through to an adjoining 16th century stone cottage. There is a 3-storey barn and another building - a potager of three former stables, two outside porches, a paved patio and a shaded terrace, with a 895m2 garden. Mains water, mains electricity with Linky meter, fosse septique, optic fibre laid, energy level D in diagnostics.
Large living areas of 217m2
The front door opens to a bright kitchen/dining area, leading to the stairwell, then a formal dining room and WC, leading into a large salon of 60m2. An oak staircase leads down to a studio from the salon. The stairwell leads to the second floor with two ensuite bedroom. All with high ceilings. On the top floor, the attic rooms have been converted for office use, with a new window and velux window. On the ground floor there is a large storage area, the same footprint as the house
Renovation and insulation
The house has been fitted with double glazing throughout and is still under guarantee. Roofs have been replaced or renovated with triple insulation in the living areas. The barn roof was replaced to include a waterproof membrane. The upper floors repaired/replaced. The salon walls and ceiling have been fitted with an additional depth of insulation – a benefit in both winter and summer. The walls of the master bedroom, ensuite bathrooms, the attic rooms have also been properly insulated, as has the studio floor. The shutters have been repaired where required, repainted and some replaced.
Heating
In colder months, the salon is heated by a 50cm wood-burner which easily copes with the space. Two 30cm Nordic wood-burners have been fitted in the dining room and studio, both with stone storage heating panels. There is a knack to getting the best out of these burners and we would be happy to pass on knowledge gained over the years. Included with the house is approx 4-months of 4+ years dried oak cut to size for both burners.
Location
The Merle house is in a small hamlet of the La Chapelle Faucher commune with 14 houses. It is on a cul-de-sac or impasse road of four homes, set in a rural farming landscape, overlooking fields to the river Cole in the distance. It is off the main A78 road from Brantome to Thiviers, 10 minutes north of Brantome, with restaurants, supermarkets, hotels and markets. The nearest airports are Limoges or Bergerac – both being approx. 90 minutes away. Bordeaux is about two hours distant.
Discover the The Merle House
Tranquility
Tranquility
Tranquility
Set in a quiet hamlet , close to Brantome Dordogne, of 14 houses this spacious house (217m2) if full of character with large rooms and high ceilings
Space
Tranquility
Tranquility
Formal dining room leads to salon of 60m2, a cathedral-like fully insulated exposed-beamed ceiling with door to garden, porch and terrace. A wood-burner for winter evenings and double glazing throughout
Sunlight
Tranquility
Sunlight
An open-plan kitchen-diner with an abstract banquette. Light and airy and wonderful to sit in at sunset. Wooden shutters on all windows control the summer light
The Merle House: See Our Beautiful home in Pictures
lots of outside areas for eatING and entertaining
For green fingers
For green fingers
For green fingers
The garden is well stocked with roses around the porch
Sheltered
For green fingers
For green fingers
There is a sheltered patio area ideal for mid-morning coffee or lunch
Entertaining
For green fingers
Entertaining
The paved terrace under the walnut tree is ideal for barbecues
great for gardeners – A silk tree (albezia), a well and raised vegetable boxes
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Discover the The Merle House extra rooms
Studio
Another attic area
Attic office
The ground floor of the cottage, with insulation in the floor and walls with a Nordic woodburner. Mainly used as a design studio and sewing room hence additional electric sockets
Attic office
Another attic area
Attic office
Similarly in the attic, the top floors were converted for office use with insulation, new double glazed windows and additional electric sockets
Another attic area
Another attic area
Another attic area
The attic rooms could be easily converted to a further ensuite bedroom
Stairs DOWN to the studio and stairs UP to the attic rooms
Discover The Merle House's BARN
Adjoining barn
Wood cut to size
Wood cut to size
There is a new roof on the three-storey barn and replaced flooring. Ideal for garden machinery and/or car parking
Wood cut to size
Wood cut to size
Wood cut to size
Approximately 4-months worth of cut-to-size, 4+ years dry oak comes with the house
Ample storage space
Positioned at the side of the house
Positioned at the side of the house
There are stairs to a second and third levels of the barn, with enormous storage. Perfect for further renovation
Positioned at the side of the house
Positioned at the side of the house
Positioned at the side of the house
The back-barn wall has recently been pointed, a purple-flowering buddlea and vine planted.
The Merle House -the Potager (Garden shed)
THE MERLE HOUSE – FOUR LARGE STORAGE areas
Ground floor storage
Former summer kitchen
Ground floor storage
Under the house is the sous-sol – four additional rooms below the first floor living area. Ideal for storage
Workshop or garage
Former summer kitchen
Ground floor storage
We used the area as a workshop. Kitchen cabinets line one wall
Former summer kitchen
Former summer kitchen
Laundry and pet shower
The wood panelled room was once a summer kitchen and used for making and bottling preserves
Laundry and pet shower
Laundry and pet shower
Laundry and pet shower
The room has a fitted shower, used to clean muddy boots, but also has fittings for washing machines
More storage
Laundry and pet shower
More storage
A fourth room, a dry stone room, is ideal for other storage
Views of the hamlet and the village
Nearby
Our nearest town
Our nearest town, Brantome (10 minutes). Known as the Venice of the Perigord, it has shops, restaurants, hotels, doctors and a weekly Friday morning market. Supermarkets are Carrefour and Aldi
Medieval Brantome
Brantome Abbey and the oldest bell tower in France. Built by Charlemagne in the 12th century. The noisiest thing in town is the waterfall under the bridge that leads to the old monks' gardens
Over 1,000 chateaux
Over 1,000 chateaux
The Dordogne has some pretty spectacular 'houses'. This is the Chateau of Hautefort (45 minutes or less). In the village below are a couple of good restaurants
The view from a bar
... then there's the food
Over 1,000 chateaux
The Chateau of Marthonie and also the view from the bar in Saint Jean de Cole justly celebrated for its fabulous flower festival every May. 15 minutes from Merle
Thiviers
... then there's the food
... then there's the food
Even locals would say Thiviers (20 minutes) isn't the prettiest of places in France. Appearances can be deceptive. The weekly Saturday market is the best locally and both bars the perfect places to meet friends. The vet is superb too
... then there's the food
... then there's the food
... then there's the food
The best boulangerie in the area is 10 minutes away in Champagnac de Belair; we're also spoiled for choice with some truly fantastic restaurants from 10 to 45 minutes away with menus that tempt as much as the wine lists
... the finest vegetables
... the finest vegetables
... the finest vegetables
No estate agent will tell you this: we're no more than five minutes from the tastiest veg for kilometres. The Gourdou farm only sells what is in season and there's a reason why they are busy as they are
... and the weekly shop
... the finest vegetables
... the finest vegetables
Perigueux (30 minutes) has two main out-of-town shopping areas with megastores such as Leclerc, Auchan, Lidl and Grand Frais. Alternatively there is Nontron (20 minutes); Super-U, Lidl and Intermarche.
Travel
... the finest vegetables
Travel
Limoges airport is approx. 70 minutes north while we allow 90 minutes to get to Bergerac. Travel by train to the centre of Bordeaux from Thiviers (change at Perigueux, free parking too. Angouleme (60 minutes) to the Gare de Monparnasse. Two hours by TGV and you're in the centre of Paris