Vézelay, Burgundy 89450

Le Moulinot is an old mill on the tributaries of the Cure, the oldest parts of which date back to the late Middle Ages and were converted into a manor house in the 16th century.The estate has always been at one with water: its reservoir forms a small lake, feeding both the mill, now a turbine that supplied electricity to the village, and the numerous ponds that transformed it, for a time, into a fish farm.Crossed by 4 private streams, the estate is a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering, which has been transformed into a magical aquatic setting.First a holiday home, then the main residence of the family that has lived here for almost 50 years, it extends over more than 7 hectares of parkland covered with century-old trees and surrounded by high, steep wooded hills that guarantee its privacy.A MASTER'S HOUSE of over 500-sqmThis is a residence of great elegance and subtle discretion. It comprises a large central square, which houses the 2 main buildings, the Grande Maison and the Pavillon.A large porch leads into the Cour d'Honneur, adorned with a small fountain, which separates the two houses, each guarded by its central tower.The Grande Maison houses all the ceremonial rooms, as well as 4 magnificent suites with a total of 8 bedrooms, each decorated in a different colour.The most emblematic rooms include- the Dining Room, with its sideboard for cutting up hunting trophies, its huge fireplace for roasting them and its banqueting table for savouring them;- the Music Room, which is reflected in the water of the lake and has kept its majestic piano for private concerts;- the Writing Room, all wood panelling with a view over the park and the waterways;- the Tower Library, with a solid oak mezzanine from which you can enjoy aerial views over the Cour d'Honneur.The interior of the Grande Maison showcases all the great architectural and decorative traditions of Burgundy: the Burgundy flagstones adorned with cabochons that decorate the reception rooms, the ashlar fireplaces, the sculpted chne bays, the many Puisaye potteries and the omnipresent Saint-Jacques shell, which bears witness to the pilgrimages to Vezelay and then Compostela.Opposite the Grande Maison is the Pavillon, a self-contained dwelling with all the comforts of a cosy home, including a large living room, 3 bedrooms (one of which is in a tower) and a south-facing garden terrace where you can eat outside almost all year round.Immediately adjacent to the main building are- an artist's studio that was used as a painting and sculpture studio - some of these sculptures, such as the Lady of the Lake, are still in the house.- the outbuildings, which housed 2 large stables for walks in the surrounding hills, full of trees and game.THE MAGIC OF WATERBut above and beyond the character of this grand residence, the river and its waterfalls, the Fontaine aux 10 Lions and the Serpentine flowing over the granite pebbles of its mossy bed.Herons and wild ducks still frequent the house and fish in its fish-filled streams. In particular, the 3-metre-deep Gouffre offers a refreshing dip all summer long.The garden has been laid out so that you can live outside and enjoy the magnificent light every season. The large field is ideal for large flambes at sunset, while enjoying delicious snacks and wines from the surrounding valleys.Vzelay and its Eternal Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are just a few kilometres away.There is still much to discover here, but just as much to invent