French property in Normandy - Orne - Less than 2 hrs Paris. Chateau in the heart of the Perche National Park , the oldest parts dating to 15th century. Renov

The property is just 10 mins from the historic town of Mortagne au Perche where there are all amenities including cinema, restaurants, hotels and superb Saturday market. Communications are very good with Paris under 2 hrs by road N12, rail link at Nogent le Rotrou 30km taking just 1hr:20 mins. Alencon 40km. The A 11 motorway Paris /Le Mans is 40km linking the area to Paris and east of France and also Brittany and west of France. This is an ideal location from which to explore the rest of France.

Set in very peaceful spot along a small lane the entrance gates to the chateau open onto the alley driveway, no road noise and no neighbours, at the end of which the Chateau is found. The Chateau is extremely attractive and benefits a south facing exposition, surrounded by beautiful grounds a superb ensemble.
The total habitable space is approx. 700m², the château comprises on the ground floor :
Entrance hall/reception room (30m²) Reached via steps up to the balcony. Tiled floor and plastered walls, very light spacious hall.
Reception room/library (40m²) with French doors onto the balcony, very light room with plaster walls and tiled floor.
Formal reception room/dining room (45m²) with parquet floor, beautiful views over the park to the front and rear from the huge windows, very light room, fireplace. Access to one of the tower rooms.
Salon (45m²) Charming room with a warmth created by the exposed stone walls and exposed beams, open stone fireplace and tiled floor, opening onto one of the two tower rooms. Door to rear spiral staircase which provides access from the top floor down to the cellar. Door to steps to the parking .
2 Tower rooms each with three very tall windows providing superb views across the grounds – large enough to have a round dining table for 10
Informal dining room (35m²)with direct access to the kitchen
Kitchen (35m²) fully fitted, bright kitchen – located in the oldest part of the property
Utility room
Wc’s

Beautiful 15th century stone spiral staircase leads up to the first floor:
Huge sitting room (70m²) with stone fireplace, exposed stone walls, exposed beams and tiled floor. Wonderful views over the park.
Bed 1 (50m²) In the oldest part of the property this room although very large has a comfortable warmth , exposed beams, exposed stone walls, tiled floor, en-suite bathroom
Bed 2 (45m²) Room with views over the lake and the grounds, exposed stone walls, exposed beams, tomette tiled floor, en-suite bathroom in the tower – with far reaching views, opens onto a small room ideal for children’s bedroom
Bed 3 (45m²) Suite of 2 rooms to be used as two bedrooms for a family or a bedroom, in the tower room, and private sitting room, en-suite bathroom, wooden floor and plaster walls.
Bed 4 ( 18m²) Wooden floor, plaster walls, en-suite bathroom.
Wc’s
Each of the 4 bedrooms has an en-suite bathroom
Second floor:
Attic space – possible to increase living space as was once used as bedroom’s.

Vaulted cellar used as a dining/entertaining room, will seat 60+
Former Chateau kitchen with huge open fireplace and remains of the bread oven
Further cellar/bar area with access to garden
Wine cellar
Food preparation room
2 wc’s
The chateau benefits oil fired central heating.

Caretaker’s house
Guest house/ Orangerie
Home office
Function room, seats 210 people, with preparation room, wc’s
Greenhouses, two large.
Garages

Wrought iron entrance gates along a quite country lane open onto the alleyway of the Chateau. The grounds extend to 27 acres of landscape gardens, lawns, wooded copse, ornamental lake, meadow and orchard.


The Chateau is withing easy reach of Le Mans, Chartres, Fontainbleau, Versailles, Caen, Loire valley and Paris - with its diverse accommodation including the support buildings it will lend itself to most business opportunities ranging from business conferences to family gatherings and holidays.

The Blavou history goes far back:

In the 12th century, the owners lived in what was called a Motte Castrale, a building made of wood, built in the exact same site of the current Chateau.
Blavou was certainly one of the oldest castles in the area and probably dates from the late 1400's to the early 1500's. It was a big building, although simple with windows in the shape of a cross carved in stone known as 'fenêtres à meneau'. There were towers at the 4 corners which would have been square. In addition, there was a moat around the Chateau for protection, called Douves. There was also a coat of arms for Blavou being the Catinet family coat of arms
By the early 1500's the Blavou family had become very large and were known by the name of Cantinat. The father of the family was a lawyer and had 16 children.
One of these children was Nicolas who joined the French army as an officer. He was to win many battles for Louis 14th and eventually became Marechal of France. He had 10 children living at his death when the children divided his property and Chateau de Blavou was sold to the De Vannsay de Blavous family, ancestors of de Pontbriand. The mother of Giles de Pontbriand, the current mayor, was a de Vensay.
Giles de Pontbriand still lives at the Chateau de St Denis about ¼ mile from Chateau de Blavou. There is now a church next to his chateau called Eglise St Denis sur Huisne. An underground tunnel connects the church and Chateau de Blavou. There is also an underground tunnel into the nearby woods. These tunnels were used to enable the family to escape when the Chateau was under attack.
By 1860, the de Vannsay de Blavous family were very rich and used some of their money to modernise the Chateau. They wanted a gothic style chateau and so built stairs and balustrades with windows in the roof. It was the fashionable thing to do at that time.

The Chateau is today a chambre d'hote and venue for weddings, celebrations, language and cultural courses and musical events.

Type

• Chateau

Location

• Isolated/secluded

Features

• ADSL
• Outbuildings
• Private parking
• Garage
• Lake
• Other Drainage

Conditions

• Habitable