In the midst of the French department of Orne, with more than 4 ha of land and a lake, a listed manor house, dating from the 11th to the 19th century, with its outbuildings - ref 238739
In the land of horse stud farms, surrounded by fields and meadows, this manor house is not far from the A88 and A238 motorways, leading to Caen, Rouen and Le-Mans. Paris is 190 km away, a journey taking less than 2 hours by train. Caen and its airport, with flights to London and the south of France, are 75 km away. The nearest town, with a train station, large shops and all useful amenities is 11 km away.
Amidst a hamlet, composed of just a few houses and a church, a gateway opens on to a vast, grassy courtyard. It is flanked by a manor house, an old tithe barn and two other buildings, one of which contained the old bakery. On one side of the manor house, a wall, with vestiges of an old dovecote, adjoins a small sheepfold. These buildings are surrounded by lawns, a walled vegetable garden and a lake. Further away, an opening in a thick hedge leads to a large meadow, bordered by tall trees.

The manor house

This manor house was originally a priory that belonged to Cerisy-la-Forêt abbey in the French department of Manche. Construction of the manor house began in the 11th century. Major transformation works were carried out in the 15th and 16th centuries to enlarge, modernise and consolidate the manor house. The original house was transformed and an eight-sided, dressed stone tower, decorated with sundial, added in the 15th century. Two extensions were constructed on either side in the 16th and the 19th centuries. The partially rendered, quarry stone block walls are topped with a gable, flat tile roof. Both facades of the main house were consolidated through the addition of stone buttresses.
A dressed stone fireplace decorates a wall in every room, beams and joists are exposed and the old floor tiles have been preserved.

The outbuildings

These are two buildings constructed in the same style as the old tithe barn.
One building houses the old bread oven which has been destroyed, although a few vestiges remain. Spanning a floor surface area of approx. 100 m², it is used for storage, workshop and garage purposes. The second building, aligned in a similar fashion, is smaller as it spans a floor surface area of approx. 20 m².

The barn

This barn spans a floor surface area of approx. 140 m². Its quarry stone block walls are topped with a gable, flat tile roof. The facade walls feature openings, including a carriage doorway with a wooden lintel which has been walled up, leaving a passageway topped with a stone lintel. This building is a smaller version of the old tithe barn which would have been a much bigger building.

The sheepfold

This is a small, quarry stone block construction, built in the same style as the old tithe barn and the old bread oven. The stone lintels topping the two openings are most impressive.

The parklands

The buildings are surrounded by lawns, bordered by thick hedges and dotted with tall trees such as fruit, walnut, maple and chestnut trees, some of which are several hundred years old. Behind the manor house, wide lawns slope down to a lake, still featuring its original masonry. Low stone walls delimit the area which was given over to a vegetable garden.
The large meadow is at the rear. It extends over a surface area of more than 3 hectares. It is dotted with tall trees. One side is bordered by a double row of poplar trees.

Our opinion
This is an impressive property. Although the development of the manor house took place over some eight centuries, the architectural harmony emanating from all the constructions exudes an impression of character and robustness that has enabled it to come down through the ages.
The plainness of the green open spaces, dotted with trees, sometimes several hundred years old, provides a peaceful touch that creates a wonderful balance.
Free of any visual or audible nuisances, this is an ideal place to recharge one’s batteries.
Continuation of the restoration and renovation works will make it possible for this estate to accommodate a large family or passing guests. Animals could also be put out to graze in the large, neighbouring meadow.