Historic château with outbuildings in Normandy

Description

Historic château in Normandy, a palace among woods and tradition

This exceptional château is located in Bazoches-au-Houlme, in the heart of Pays du Houlme, a historic region of Normandy surrounded by deep forests and green meadows. Situated between Argentan and the eastern border of the Orne department, the estate sits on 36,990 m² of grounds (3.7 hectares / 9.14 acres) that include gardens, woods, pond and a stream that crosses the property.

The main construction dates from the 18th and 19th centuries and was built on 15th century vestiges that still remain visible. Within its walls was born the symbolist poet Remy de Gourmont, precursor of the Nouveau roman, making this château a witness to French literary history. Access is through a tree-lined avenue of more than 400 meters leading to the majestic wrought iron gate flanked by stone pillars crowned with capitals.

A dream château with perfectly preserved architecture

The main building has 470 m² of construction distributed over three floors, where each room preserves the grandeur of classic French architecture with light blue shutters that frame elegant double-aspect windows.

Palace interiors with original decoration intact

The burgundy main door crowned with transom opens to an immense entrance hall where the absolute protagonist is a large serpentine floating marble staircase protected by artisanal wrought iron railings. The Art Nouveau cement tile floors provide the perfect setting for this palatial entrance.

The main salon unfolds with noble wood floors in English herringbone, built-in stone fireplace and tall windows that flood the space with soft light. Its wood ceiling and paneling painted with friezes and stenciled patterns, plus cornices and stucco decoration, create atmospheres of sublime elegance.

The 'blue dining room' preserves decorated ceilings with medallions representing painted cherubs, an artistic jewel that testifies to the exceptional quality of the original decoration. One of the château's gems is the immense second-floor library with exposed wooden beams and dressed stone masonry walls, where abundant sunlight enters through numerous windows illuminating this temple of knowledge.

Noble spaces distributed over three floors

The château houses more than 8 bedrooms distributed on the upper floors, including the 'blue bedroom' and the 'green bedroom' with their noble wood floors and built-in fireplaces. The spaces communicate through wide landings with wrought iron railings where friezes decorate walls and ceilings.

Historic outbuildings and extensive grounds with natural charm

The ensemble is completed with 700 m² of outbuildings that include the artist's studio, the old service outbuildings, stables, a small cottage that needs restoration and a converted caretaker's cottage. A restored chapel with octagonal shape and slate roof plus agricultural storage building complete the auxiliary constructions.

The grounds envelop the château providing absolute privacy. To the south, the old courtyard has been converted into garden with varied vegetation, while to the west, the forest foliage hides a natural pond and a water-filled moat surrounding an old garden. A stream crosses the property with a charming wooden bridge connecting different areas of the extensive wooded grounds.

Buy château in Normandy, history and nature at the gates of Paris

Bazoches-au-Houlme is strategically located in a region full of medieval history, where ancient feudal mounds and forgotten towers remain hidden in the deep forests of the old viscounty of Falaise. The village is 25 minutes from Argentan station, which provides direct service to Paris-Montparnasse in less than 2 hours. The A88 motorway is 15 minutes away, while the Nacre coast is 60 kilometers away and Falaise, the medieval city of William the Conqueror, just 12 minutes away.

The Houlme region, bordered to the north by the wooded and grassy countryside of the Briouze basin and to the south by the Andaines forest, offers an exceptional natural environment for hiking, hunting and contemplation. The vestiges of the Hundred Years' War and medieval battles remain as firm testimony from when the Dukes of Normandy reigned over this land.

This château represents a unique opportunity to live like French aristocracy, in a perfectly preserved historic palace with versatile outbuildings, surrounded by preserved nature and with excellent connectivity to both Paris and the heritage treasures of Normandy.

* Publication for information purposes only, not binding or contractual. May contain errors or be subject to change.