Vétheuil, Île-de-France 95510

A 19th-century Bourgeois home between the River Seine and the Vexin hills, in Vtheuil, with outbuildings and a more than 3, 900-m walled garden. The residence dates from the first half of the 19th century and displays all the characteristic elements of bourgeois architecture. The symmetrical, three-storey building stands on a base of cut stone equipped with basement windows. The combination of red brick and light-coloured stone underlines the regular shape of the tall window frames, fitted with louvred shutters and moulded lintels. The roof is punctuated by dormer windows while three tall, slender chimney stacks stand out from its silhouette. The building stands in the centre of a vast, almost 4, 000-m garden and is set back from the street behind a gate and small wall. To the rear, it opens onto a slightly sloping garden. There are several outbuildings requiring renovation set away to the side of the house. A rotunda style 19th-century veranda stands on the south-facing patio. A flight of stone steps, with well-pruned hedges on either side, leads up to the main entrance door. The property's balanced structure and fine proportions have been preserved, making this sober edifice typical of the tastes of an era in which secondary homes had to combine distinction, comfort and openness to the surrounding landscape. Refurbishment work will be necessary but the edifice boasts remarkable potential for restoration.