Lonlay-l'Abbaye, La Basse Normandie 61700

A 19th century renovated and reinvented farmhouse with a 4 200 m garden planted with trees, in the north of the Domfrontais region in Orne. The property appears at the bend in an ancient road which is barely more than a small country lane. Situated in the centre of a hamlet, it is made up of an old farmhouse dating back to the 1830s, set against the hillside and surrounded by farm buildings which are scattered throughout the grounds. Sloping gently to the south, the development stretches out on either side of the road. The main plot is accessed from the west, through a courtyard overlooking the faade of the former farmhouse. Over the years, this authentic little farmhouse in the Orne countryside has been transformed into an original ensemble. Several extensions have been added by successive occupants, without ever breaking with the proportions and aesthetics of the pre-existing building. The faade has a slate gable roof and three windows to the south. The west gable is crowned by a chimney stump and pierced by small windows. To the east, the original building is flanked by a tower and several additions with single-pitch roofs. The first is a garage to the east of the farmhouse and in front of the tower. The second, adjoining the first, is a small lean-to. The third, with a slate roof, is attached to the east of the farmhouse. The entrance door is preceded by a glazed porch. A wooden terrace extends from the large window. Lined with black shutters, the windows are fitted with rounded red joinery. To the south, the garden includes a vegetable patch and extensive tree-lined lawns. A storeroom and garage, a barn, an open-sided shelter, a woodstore and a workshop are dotted around the property, in keeping with the local tradition of having a building for each particular use.