Mouton, Charente 16460

A 14th-century fortified house surrounded by 7 7 hectares of wooded grounds, 30 minutes from Angoulme Tgv station, with trains to Paris in under 2 hours. From the winding road that runs along the Son-Sonnette valley, the residence can be seen below its ancient surrounding walls. Perched on the summit, it dominates the valley, backed by two powerful buttresses topped with slate roofs. A little further on, a private gravelled path framed by rosemary and iris leads to an imposing carriage entrance flanked by a studded pedestrian door, both typical of the noble homes of the Charente region. They open onto a sober, U-shaped courtyard, with buildings of varying heights adorned with climbing roses, fragrant wisteria, trumpet vines and honeysuckle. The floor, covered in ochre gravel, matches the various shaped windows, while large terracotta pots arranged in groups reinforce the Mediterranean atmosphere. All of the roofs and roof timbers, covered in old Roman tiles, are in perfect condition. The restoration work harmoniously blends old and contemporary materials, giving the residence steeped in eight centuries of history an ideal compromise between modern comforts and authenticity. On the faade facing the valley, a buttress marks the transition between the old wing and the newer wing of the house. On the first floor, a double glazed door, reached by four steps of a stone staircase, is surrounded by large-paned windows and peacock-blue double shutters. The second floor has three evenly-spaced windows with small panes. The third floor, concealed under a gable roof, features square windows. Opposite the gate, a 37 m stone paved courtyard with a wooden platform houses a summer dining room and an imposing old double-leaf solid oak screen. It provides access to the grounds through a small, low door on the west side and links the residential building to another building, which has been completely renovated and converted into an artist's studio. On the north side, a door under a small canopy leads to an 18 m vaulted cellar. Another building with a cobbled floor provides access to a barn that has yet to be converted. To the north-east, the courtyard is dominated by an imposing dovecote with a cornice, topped by a four-sided tiled roof, which also needs to be converted. The grassy terrace garden, dotted with trees and surrounded by wrought-iron fences, invites you to contemplate the generous, flower-filled countryside surrounding the estate.