MONTVERDUN, Rhône, Address available on request

An old wine fermentation building converted into a delightful dwelling, nestled in a village on an outcrop in France's Loire department. The house stands at the end of a cul-de-sac that begins with a small bridge over a stream. The dwelling has two floors and a gabled roof of monk-and-nun tiling. It faces south and looks at the village's chateau. A climbing rose bush and a vine grow up its rendered walls, which are punctuated with many rectangular windows fitted with solid and louvered shutters. Upstairs, at the front, a small terrace with a timber balustrade, set back, offers a viewpoint where you can admire the countryside surrounding the edifice. At the back, the building is half underground.

The sloping garden that stretches around the dwelling makes the house look smaller than it really is. The property is nestled in the heart of a village, yet its bucolic surroundings are astonishingly peaceful. Life inside this dwelling is not disturbed by any unwanted noise or sights. Here, rural calm reigns.