5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom Home for Sale in Champagne, France Once in a While a Chance Comes for You to Realise Your Dreams and It s Up to You to Seize It Before It Disappears Have you ever dreamed of living in a peaceful French village set in the heart of a regional nature park and nestled between an ancient forest and rolling vineyards? It sounds almost too good to be true doesn t it, but it gets better. What if this village were in the Champagne district of France and what if there were a restored grape farmer s house dating from the 19 th century ready for you to settle into and call your home? This type of opportunity comes up once in a blue moon, if ever but miracles do happen and if this is your dream, now is the moment to grab it with both hands. At the very least you owe it to yourself to keep reading and find out more. This opportunity might just have your name on it This is so much more than a holiday home, although it could be just that if that s your dream. It s not just a way to enjoy an enviable lifestyle, or a safe and nourishing place to raise children (we raised our two daughters here) The ease of access to Paris, London, Brussels, and the rest of Europe by high-speed trains or driving makes it a wonderful base for exploring and travelling. The small but growing international community in nearby Reims has enabled an international education system giving children and young adults the opportunity to study for and pass the International Baccalaureate, giving them a preferential route to universities globally 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 1
And then there s the champagne But first, the house The house is built over three floors and there s almost 350 sq. metres (that s 4,000 sq. feet if you prefer). It was built in the 19 th century and used to belong to a wine maker. There s even a small wine cellar under the house how cool is that! bathrooms. We bought the house in 2000 and did extensive renovations, installing 3 extra bedrooms and two extra Because of the location of the house, 1 st floor at the front becomes the ground floor at the back. On the ground floor, Spacious entrance hall with rush mat flooring, chandelier, and window to front (approx. 4m x 5m) 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 2
Office with wooden floor, panelling, internet connection, chandelier, fireplace (not currently working) and window to front (approx. 4m x 5m) TV room with wooden floor, exposed beams, built in storage cupboards, satellite connection to international TV stations (subscription payable) window to front and working fireplace (approx. 4m x 5m) Bathroom, tiled floor and walls with WC, basin, and shower (approx. 2m x 1m) Boot & shoe room, tiled floor (approx. 3m x 1.5m) Laundry room, tiled floor housing washing machine, tumble dryer and large gas central heating boiler which heats and provides hot water for the entire house easily, access to garden and plenty of space to dry washing in the winter (approx. 4m x 6m) Separate double bedroom with private entrance, exposed beams, tiled floor, en-suite bathroom, claw foot bath with shower attachment, WC, basin, chandelier and wall lights, window to front (approx. 4m x 6m including bathroom) 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 3
Two story out-building for renovation, that could easily be converted into whatever you want: sauna, gym, playroom, more bedrooms (approx. 50 sq. m of space over two floors with electricity and plumbing) Ground floor plan: 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 4
Stairs to First floor Hallway with access to kitchen, dining room and lounge, with stairs to second floor. Wooden floor, exposed beams, and chandelier (approx. 5m x 3m) Large modern kitchen/breakfast room with linoleum flooring, built in fridge/freezer, oven, hob, extractor fan, microwave, dishwasher and second freestanding fridge. Downlighters and two central lights, window to front, door to rear (approx. 6m x 4m) French windows lead from the breakfast area onto the deck in the back garden which is fabulous for summer meals and sunbathing. 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 5
Dining room large enough to seat 12-14 people, library area and window to front, wooden flooring, chandelier, and wall lights (approx. 5m x 4m) Large double aspect living room, exposed beams, wooden floor, second staircase down to ground floor, windows to front and rear, TV point with satellite connection (subject to subscription) French windows leading to the rear garden (approx. 6m x 5m) 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 6
Two connecting bedrooms, wooden floor, with a private en-suite bathroom, tiled floor, shower WC and basin, windows to front, ceiling lights (approx. 50 sq. m including bathroom) First floor plan: 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 7
Stairs to Second floor Huge master bedroom, wooden floor, exposed beams, spotlights, large en-suite bathroom with shower, WC and basin, tiled floor. Velux windows to front and rear. (Approx. 6m x 6m including bathroom) Double bedroom, carpeting, exposed beams, spotlights Velux windows to front (approx. 6m x 3m) 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 8
Double bedroom, carpeting, exposed beams, spotlights, Velux windows to rear (approx. 6m x 3m) Bathroom with bath, shower attachment, WC and basin, tiled floor (approx. 2m x 2m) Linen/storage cupboard with lighting and shelving, carpeted floor (approx. 1.5m x 1.5m) Trap door to loft space for further storage There s space galore to live, relax and storage space for everything you could ever need The house is great for families because everyone can have his or her own space and there is ample room for offices too, so if you work from home, its perfect. Second Floor plan: 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 9
The Garden The sunny, south-west facing garden is tucked away behind the house, and accessed from the Lounge, the Kitchen, and the laundry room. Mainly lawned with mature shrubs, flower beds and two fruit-bearing cherry trees. (approx. 30m x 20m). 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 10
We ve enjoyed many champagne moments on the decking, in the shade of the cherry trees. It s a magical place. Courtyard The house is accessed directly from the main village street via a private alleyway. Once through the gates and into the courtyard, there s secure under-cover parking for 2-3 cars. From the private courtyard, there s access to the cellar, the outbuilding, the separate downstairs bedroom, the laundry room and the rear garden, and the main entrance. The village Verzy is about 15 minutes drive to Reims and 25 minutes drive to Epernay, right in the centre of the Montagne de Reims grape-growing area in Champagne. 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 11
It s a village of just 1,200 inhabitants and it s one of the liveliest little villages you will find in Champagne. Shops include a bakery for your croissants in the morning, two butchers and outside caterers, grocery store, and florist. There are also two banks, a post office, doctor, dentist and physio, a car repair garage and petrol station. Schooling for children from age 3 15 with a bus service for older children attending the Lycée in Reims. It s a real community and it is alive with locals and visitors. Of course, the main occupation for most people here is making champagne or supporting the industry can you believe there are about 30 champagne producers just in our village. In fact, our next-door neighbour is a champagne maker very handy if you ever run out. Peace and Quiet Despite the relative activity you ll be enchanted by how delightfully peaceful the area is. At night you can hear the silence and above your head, in the clear unpolluted skies, you can see thousands of stars. 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 12
The vineyards are just 2 minutes walk away and once you re there you can walk for miles and miles between the rows of vines, or along the multitude of winding paths you will find. 5 minutes walk in the opposite direction lies a huge and beautiful forest which is a paradise for walkers, mountain bikers and enthusiasts of nature and bird watching. It s also a fabulous place to just relax and let the peace and quiet flow over you. It s an almost spiritual place and in fact one of the paths through the forest is part of the famous Camino de Santiago route used by walkers and pilgrims over thousands of years. Many walkers pass through every year. And if all this peace and quiet gets too much for you, what then? Head over to Reims, an ancient and truly stylish city where you can eat at fantastic restaurants, shop in elegant shops, and enjoy watching the world go by on the terrace of a champagne bar or street cafe in the summer. Reims boasts three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, not least one being its 800-year-old gothic cathedral, once the venue for crowning the kings of France. Recently, the entire champagne region, its vineyards, cellars, and villages have become part of UNESCO S World Heritage programme. 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 13
The region Champagne is one of the most glamorous and prestigious products in the world, and the region is equally renowned. But what you may not know is that this region is so accessible to those living and working in Paris, Brussels, London, Luxembourg, Strasbourg. With the arrival of the TGV (high speed train) in 2006, you are just 40 minutes from Paris via Reims Central Station, or the brand-new Champagne-Ardennes station 20 minutes drive away, with lots of parking. Leaving Verzy at around 7am, you can be at London St Pancras for lunch, and be back home by 10.30pm after some serious shopping in Oxford Street! The foreign community here is small and growing, which means that you won t be surrounded by ex-pats, but you will have a ready-made English-speaking community to slot into, just as we did. Have children to consider? Here's the good news: If you have small children this is just about the safest place I know to bring them up and there is fresh air and open space in incredible abundance. If you have school-age children, then you can take advantage of French schooling locally in Verzy from age 3 to 15, with a school bus taking them directly into Reims for their Lycéean years from 15-18. There s even an international (English) section in Reims, within a French school, from age 8 leading to the international baccalaureate at the Lycée Marc Chagall, one of the best Lycées in the region. There is a thriving Anglo-French community within this system, which we loved when our own two daughters were younger. They are both happily and naturally completely bilingual which has brought them work and study opportunities we had never even considered when we first moved here. 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 14
The climate There are four distinct seasons in Champagne. Spring is when the leaves on the vines burst into life and the weather begins to warm up. Temperatures in Spring can vary between 15 to 22 degrees Celsius. Summer days can be very hot especially during July and August with temperatures ranging from 22 to 35 degrees Celsius. Autumn is full of beautiful colours, as the harvest is brought in and the leaves on the vines and trees wither and fall, and temperatures range between 17 to 22 degrees Celsius 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 15
Winter is beautiful when the leaves have all died and fallen and the vines go to sleep, getting ready for next season s grapes. Temperatures can fall to -10 in some parts and there can be snow, which makes the whole area so pretty PRICE: 425,000 What to do now? If you re interested, you probably have some questions, so, let s talk. Either call us on +33 326 48 20 52 Or email us at jiles@mymaninchampagne.com Let us help you to make this dream come true 5 Bedroom / 5 Bathroom house for sale in Champagne, France Page 16