Agen, Aquitaine 47000

A grand 18th-century country house with six hectares of grounds and a spring, nestled in the River Garonne valley near the town of Agen in south-west France. The edifice stands in a commanding position on a hillside, looking out over a plain and down at a vast two-level terrace. The property is isolated, yet not far from the local village. The grounds cover around six hectares and are dotted with age-old trees. You reach the property via a shady lane that runs up to it from a country road.A vaulted carriage entrance with paving leads into a square court where, on one side, you can admire the house's south-facing facade with its refined, symmetrical design that is typical of the 18th century and, on the other side, reach the outbuildings. Opposite, another carriage entrance leads to a swimming pool and woodland paths.The main building is rectangular and has two floors. It is crowned with a hipped roof of red barrel tiles that is underlined with a sculpted cornice. The roofs of the outbuildings are capped with gable roofs that are underlined with double-row gnoise cornices.All the elevations are made of rubble stone, rendered with an old coating of sand and lime that has been smoothened by the passage of time. Some of the walls are adorned with climbing plants that add a pleasant touch of greenery. In the middle of the north-facing elevation, a symmetrical double flight of steps with a stone balustrade leads down to a vast grassy terrace that looks out over the valley of the River Garonne.