L'Isle-Adam, Île-de-France 95290

An 18th-century stone watermill that could be a family home or a second home, nestled in a bucolic backdrop in France's beautiful Vexin area, 35 minutes from Paris. Once you have gone through the gate, a hedge-lined drive leads up to the edifice of pale ashlar. The building faces the garden, spanning its breadth. The house has a basement, a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. With its gabled roof of flat tiles and its evenly spaced windows, it stands out as a strong, plain structure. On one side of it, the River Sausseron flows gently to a lock that is still in working order and that bears witness to the watermill's past. This watermill was built in the 18th century. At the time, it was one of the region's most efficient mills thanks to its large-diameter water wheel, turned by a diversion of the river than runs through the grounds of a neighbouring chateau. The building was converted in 1906 to become a metalwork plant. Later, it was turned into a house with spacious rooms and thick walls. Today, it offers 450m of living space. The dual-aspect entrance hall connects to a 50m kitchen and a 120m lounge, bathed in natural light from many windows that look out at the garden. On the first floor, there are three bedrooms, an open office, two bathrooms and a utility room. They form a comfortable, practical space. On the second floor, in the roof, there are two other bedrooms, as well as a bathroom, a small room and around 150m of convertible loft space. A basement and a large garage complete the building. The garden extends behind the house and in front of it. This outdoor space is made up of lawns, old trees and natural hedges.