FOR SALE IN Cordes Sur Ciel, S.W. France Voted Best Village in France 2014 Le Chevalier Noir undoubtedly one of the finest properties set in the famous and historic 13th Century bastide town of Cordes-sur-Ciel. 595,000 By Private Sale THIS HANDSOME AND IMPRESSIVE RENOVATED PROPERTY STANDS IN GROUNDS OF APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF AN ACRE ELEVATED POSITION WITH WONDERFUL PANORAMIC VIEWS ENJOYING MUCH PRIVACY, AS WELL AS; A SECLUDED 12m x 6m SWIMMING POOL A DOUBLE GARAGE A SINGLE SECURE CARPORT 2 bedroomed GUEST COTTAGE or GITE
GENERAL The main house is a most impressive and very spacious property lending itself to family living or indeed as a home with chambres d hôte facilities. There are six main bedrooms all with bath or shower rooms en-suite, plus additional space if more bedrooms are required. Full oil-fired central heating is installed. The guest cottage/gite is situated within the grounds of the main house, and fully restored to provide a living room/dining room, fitted kitchen, 2 double bedrooms and a well-appointed bathroom, together with a private garden and easy access to the swimming pool. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY The current owners have run a successful Gîte and occasional Chambres d Hôtes business utilising both the main house and cottage for several years. IN DETAIL THE MAIN HOUSE COMPRISES: A substantial wrought-iron gateway with stone pillars opens onto an extensive principal terrace with stunning views across the river valley, which leads to the original double front doors and into the Reception Hall with tiled floor. A comprehensive house alarm control system is situated in this hallway. Leading off, through a glazed door, is a Charming Well Proportioned Main Living Room (5m x 4.66m) with part panelled walls, tiled floor, handsome fireplace with carved surround and massive mirror feature with plaster frieze. Satellite TV point in this room. To the left hand side of the hall is a Spacious and Stylish Dining Room (5.42m x 4m) with half panelled walls, a coffered ceiling, tiled floor and a part glazed door out to an outside dining terrace. Double connecting doors to the kitchen. Telephone point.
Also off the Reception Hall is an Inner Hall/Study (4m x 3.53m) with tiled floor and a full range of built-in cupboards. This room has the main telephone and internet access points and is most suitable as an office. This leads to:- Inner Lobby (2m x 2m) with direct access to a separate WC with corner wash basin and tiled floor, with access to:- Spacious Kitchen Ancillary Room (4.8m x 2.7m) with tiled floor and built-in cupboards, together with another satellite TV point. This is currently used as a large walk-in larder room, but in the past has been a dining room and a TV snug. Also leading off the lobby is the Large Kitchen (5.35m x 4.17m) with original tiled floor, handsome full height archway with double doors inset. Range of units with tiled worktops, twin bowl sink unit and dishwasher, wall cupboards, a gas cooking range with twin ovens, four ring hob and large wok ring, stainless steel backing and extractor canopy over. There is a series of arched windows to one side and glazed double doors to the dining room. A handsome original restored chestnut wood staircase from the hall leads to THE FIRST FLOOR with a light and bright landing with timber flooring, decorative ceiling plaster friezes and a centre lighting frieze. On the right-hand side of the landing is the Master Bedroom (4.84m x 4.12m) with windows to two sides, high ceiling with decorative plaster friezes. A door to an Ensuite Bathroom with bath, shower, pedestal wash basin, bidet, WC, heated towel rail, and French windows to a private Balcony Terrace, (also accessible from Bedroom 2). An internal door from the Master
Bedroom leads to Bedroom No. 2. (3.5m x 4m max) with extensive fitted wardrobes/cupboards and a separate door onto the landing. There is an Ensuite Bathroom with panelled bath, hand shower, vanity unit, WC and heated towel rail. French windows to private Balcony Terrace. This bedroom is also privately accessible from the landing and stairs. On the left hand side of the landing is a charming and spacious Bedroom No. 3 (4.6m x 4.88m max) with French windows to an outside Juliet balcony enjoying magnificent elevated views across the gardens and hills beyond. The bedroom features an original marble fireplace with period mirror over and decorative plaster cornicing. Ensuite Bathroom with fully tiled walls, tiled floor, panelled bath and shower, pedestal washbasin and WC. The Chestnut Staircase continues to the UPPER FLOOR LANDING. To the left hand side is Bedroom No. 4. (4.68m x 5m) with glorious window views and exposed beams. Ensuite Shower Room with tiled shower, pedestal wash basin with tiled surround and WC, and an electric wall heater. There is a separate WC off the landing. Bedroom No. 5. (4.8m max x 4m) on the left hand side with exposed beams. Ensuite Shower Room with part tiled walls, tiled shower, pedestal wash basin and WC, and an electric wall heater. Single Bedroom No.6. (4m x 2.56m max) in an L shape with Ensuite Shower Room with shower, pedestal wash basin and bidet. Small walk-in cupboard off the Upper Floor Landing affords further useful storage space. From the ground floor reception hall, the chestnut staircase leads down to the LOWER GROUND FLOOR with hallway access to a spacious light and bright Television/Cinema/Living Room/Library (5m x 4.54m) with double French windows to the rear garden and private dining terrace with excellent views. The room has a satellite TV access point and built-in 7.1 surround sound speaker points for a full cinematic experience.
There is a separate WC off the hall with pedestal wash basin. Excellent wine store and Office/Music Studio (4.65m x 3.87m) with telephone point and good signal strength Wi-fi access from the ground floor Inner Hall/Study internet router. This room has an internal door leading to a small room with plumbing for an en-suite bathroom. There is a Utility Room housing the oil fired central heating boiler, with archway and double doors leading to an external terrace and the main gardens and a Laundry Room with white glazed sink and space for several laundry appliances. Private Apartment potential:- The lower ground floor Office, Bathroom, TV lounge and Arched Room could be turned into a spacious one-bedroomed apartment, with its own private entry door, with very little effort, if required. There is space for a kitchenette there too. THE SEPARATE, FULLY RESTORED COTTAGE OR GITE This comprises: ON THE GROUND FLOOR A Fitted Kitchen (5m x 3.6m max) with tiled floor, range of fitted units, sink unit, four ring gas hob, electric oven, washing machine, tiled surrounds and floor height fitted shelving. Additional tiled surrounds to the wall. Wood burning stove and an attractive bread oven style opening. Door to
A charming Living/Dining Room (5.1m x 4m) with the original tiled floor, large window areas with views, marble style open fireplace and a built-in double cupboard. Satellite TV point. This is a large pleasant leisure and dining room. Staircase from kitchen to UPPER FLOOR. Spacious landing with access to Two Double Bedrooms. Bedroom No. 1. (4m x 3.2m) with large double built-in full height wardrobe and original timber floor Bedroom No. 2. (4m x 2.3m) with original timber floor
Well-appointed Bathroom having roll top bath with claw feet and hand shower. Also pedestal wash basin, WC, walk-in tiled shower, attractively tiled floor and built-in cupboards. OUTSIDE The Gîte/Second house has a private garden including two tiled patio areas, flower borders, a herb and fruit bush garden area and easy access to the swimming pool. This Cottage may be sold furnished and ready to use as a gite by negotiation with any buyer. Any current gite bookings for this season would be transferred and handed over to a purchaser.
Le Chevalier Noir - Floor Plans WC Bedroom 7 / Office UP Lounge with surround sound cinema and satellite TV Wine Store or wardrobes Hall Bathroom Boiler Room and Workshop Laundry Main House - BASEMENT Walk-in Pantry or Snug Hot Water Tank WC Cupboard Office UP DOWN with satellite TV point Inner Lobby with Internet and Telephone Lounge with satellite TV point Hall Front Door Kitchen Dining Room Main House - GROUND FLOOR
Le Chevalier Noir - Floor Plans Bathroom UP DOWN Bathroom Outside Sun Terrace Bedroom 2 Landing Bedroom 3 External DOWN Main Bedroom Bathroom Main House - FIRST FLOOR Bedroom 6 Walk-in Cupboard DOWN Shower Room Shower Room Landing Bedroom 4 Shower Room WC Bedroom 5 Main House - SECOND FLOOR
Gite - Floor Plans UP Lounge and Dining Room with open fire Kitchen with wood-burner Gîte GROUND FLOOR Landing DOWN Main Bedroom Hot Water Tank Bedroom 2 Bathroom with bath and shower enclosure Gîte FIRST FLOOR
OUTSIDE & GARDENS of the Whole Property A Substantial and Impressive Ironwork Gateway with fine stone pillars and which is part of an 80 metre long boundary wall, leads to a huge gravelled Principal Terrace. Either side of the entrance gates are pedestrian doors. The right-hand pedestrian door opens to a weathered stone staircase leading down to the cottage/gite with its large private dining terrace surrounded by stocked flower beds and kitchen garden area, enjoying more lovely distant views. Several steps lead further down to the kitchen garden area, stone walled flower beds and a further terrace for sitting out in the evening sunshine. The left-hand pedestrian door gives access to the Principal Terrace and the main house. The Principal Terrace includes a sitting-out area approximately 10mx5m, with a lovely covered dining terrace (easily seats 20+) with paved flooring and external lighting, plus an attractive Hexagonal Gazebo with an attractive Kiwi vine providing shade and autumnal fruits Leading from the main house off the Principal Terrace is a pathway which leads to stone stairs down to the salt water system Swimming Pool (12m x 6m) and surrounding gardens. This area is very private with paved terraced surrounds and two large stone cave stores under the terraced levels above. There is also a stone garden shed under the top terrace and a gravel pathway leading to the double arched doors which access the lower ground floor suite. From the Principal Terrace area there is a new metal staircase leading up to the balcony terrace with attractive wrought iron railings and tiled floor. This balcony terrace is also accessed directly from Master Bedroom and Bedroom 2. The walkways between the various levels of the garden are lined by old stone walls and arches.
There is a Double Garage (5.77m x 6m) with direct roadway access and having twin electrically operated up and over doors. Also, there is a double wrought iron gateway to a secure Car Port Area which also has pedestrian access to the garage. There are additional garden areas behind and below the garage block, leading to wooded slopes and a wonderful walnut tree. Beyond the gardens and outside the boundary of the property to the west is a substantial wooded area, ensuring privacy and seclusion. Services: Mains water, electricity, mains drainage, telephone + ADSL. Oil fired central heating. OTHER INFORMATION The location of the house is simply idyllic enjoying superb elevated views over many miles of glorious countryside yet close to nearby shops, bars, restaurants, doctors, dentists and a weekly local produce market all-year-round. The house is equidistant from the Haut Ville and the Bas Ville areas of Cordes Sur Ciel, a stroll either way of about 5 minutes. Cordes is indeed one of the most famous and historic towns in the Tarn, one of the designated Grands Sites Midi Pyrénées, surrounded by other charming ancient hill towns and villages, with vineyards and chateaux of the Gaillac wine district, the wooded valleys and hills of the Grésigne forest and numerous country restaurants close by. A 20 minute drive takes you to the medieval city of Albi (now a UNESCO world heritage site) with its stunning cathedral and Toulouse Lautrec museum. Also an 18 hole golf course. The beautiful wooded gorges of the Aveyron valley are only 30 minutes distant, with canoeing in the river and the famous Sunday market at St Antonin Noble Val. The cultural and cosmopolitan city of Toulouse la ville rose is within one hour by car as is the International Airport at Blagnac. Cordes also enjoys good rail and bus connections. Conclusion This is a rare opportunity to buy a substantial house and cottage in a most desirable village in south-west France. It is most suitable for family use, a business with B&B and Gite accommodation, or any combination of them. Its position halfway up the hill gives easy and quick walking access to both upper and lower Cordes, plus the benefit of unrivalled views across the Cerou valley. Contact us Viewing of the property is strictly by appointment only. If you would like further details or to visit us and see the property, please contact Nigel & Lyn Baillie on +33 563 533468 or email us at holmwoody@hotmail.com. Thank you for your interest. We appreciate it.