Nantes, Pays de la Loire, Address available on request

A cosy 18th-century house with an old farm complex and over a hectare of grounds near the River Erdre and Nantes, France. A white Norman-style fence runs alongside a quiet road on both sides of an electric gate: the property's entrance. Beyond this gate lies a grassy court separated by walls and two pillars covered with Virginia creeper. This court forms a transitional area leading from the road to the buildings. It takes you into the main courtyard, which enclosed by the outbuildings, an old farm complex and the house. Around the sides and rear of the buildings, vast grounds extend, dotted with age-old trees. These extensive grounds cover more than a hectare. A bridle path runs around the edge of them, marking the boundary with the neighbouring property.

The buildings and grounds once formed a farm complex belonging to a nearby chateau that towers on the bank of the River Erdre. The chateau's historical estate was carved up: today's property was born of this division. The main dwelling is rectangular with a central section extended on both sides with two wings in the same style. The central section is built of rubble stone rendered with a coating of Loire sand. It has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. The wings are single-storey sections. The windows in the facade are set in tuffeau-stone surrounds with segmental arch tops. They are arranged asymmetrically. Their timber frames recall old mullioned windows. The hipped slate roof has a dormer on each side. Two chimney stacks rise up from it. One of the wings houses a reception space and looks out at the lush grounds through broad picture windows. The other wing houses a space dedicated to the swimming pool.

A complex of old farm buildings around the courtyard flanks the house on both sides. These structures are made of rubble schist and crowned with slate roofs. They form a comprehensive collection of buildings: a barn, garages, workshops, storerooms and open-sided shelters.