Bourgoin-Jallieu, Rhône 38300

A 19th century chateau with 14 5 hectares of grounds surrounded by verdant countryside in north-west Isre. This vast estate, extending over approx. 14.5Ha of gently sloping, uninterrupted land, consists predominantly of woodlands. A shady driveway leads to a large gravel parking area to the north-west of the main building. It then continues towards a courtyard in front of the chateau, where the woods give way to a large clearing. A secondary path followed by a flight of steps lead to a swimming pool on a plateau overlooking the forest. On the other side, a small wooden chapel is tucked away beneath the trees. This was originally a forest house linked to an ancient 16th century Cistercian abbey. After the French Revolution, it was used as the home of the steward responsible for managing the national forest. In 1888, a local grandee commissioned the architect Joseph-tienne Mallaval to build a substantial four-storey extension. The chateau, which has undergone several periods of construction and renovation, stands on the north-eastern edge of the grounds. Its most striking external architectural features are those dating from the 19th century. The distinct, homogenous volumes of each section follow one another cascading down to the outbuilding, reflecting the different periods in which they were built. The adobe, pebble, rammed earth concrete and clinker block facades are rendered. The roofs, clad with slate, monk and nun or flat 'beaver tail' tiles are in good condition they have all been renovated, with the exception of the roof of the 19th-century main building. Today divided into various lodgings spread over three levels, the building has a total floor area of approx. 870 m. It is currently used as tourist accommodation, benefiting from one of the most peaceful environmental areas.