Monpazier, Aquitaine 24540

Reference: PFYR-T206820. Summary Live the dream in the very heart of Monpazier, best-preserved of the medieval bastides and one of France's 'Most Beautiful Villages' - intimate enough to be friendly but with the facilities of a small town. Enjoy all this from a magnificent and spacious house of 381 m2 (4105 sq ft). Formerly the village pharmacy, this delightful home is now fully modernised and ready for immediate enjoyment. This large (8 rooms), comfortable and well-appointed home, less than 75 metres from Monpazier's world-famous arcaded square, was created from three medieval properties and now offers luxurious living; boasting extensive accommodation and a 55 m2 (540 sq ft) private walled courtyard plus an integrated garage - a rare combination in a medieval French village. The property is currently a generous home with ample space for family and visitors but has in the past operated as a successful gîte / chambres d'hôtes and could once more with no alterations. For someone looking for a second home, this is a secure lock-up-and-leave property with minimal maintenance - no need to spend the first two weeks of every visit tidying up or paying for expensive, and not always reliable, gardiennage services. The property benefits from double glazing and custom plantation shutters to all windows, and recently (2003) renewed electrical, heating and plumbing systems. There is a forced air ventilation (VMC) system to the kitchen, all shower / bathrooms and the guest W.C. The plumbing has been extended into the enormous attic, facilitating the addition of two or three further bedrooms if required. The upstairs bedrooms had reverse cycle air conditioning units installed in 2024. Downstairs does not require air-conditioning. The house is served by high-speed 600 Mb fibre with wi-fi signal amplifiers and mains water and sewage. There is a modern, very efficient Jøtul wood burner in the salon, supplementing an oil-fired central heating system powered by a modern Diematic boiler with digital controls. Upstairs bedrooms have individually programmable thermostatic valves. Location Monpazier is renowned as the best-preserved fortified village (bastide) in France. There has been a weekly market in the square for 700 years and lively programme of events throughout the year, including an annual music festival drawing performers from around the world. Many sites of international importance are nearby, including Sarlat and Chateaux Biron, Beynac, Milandes and Castelnaud. Monpazier is a remarkable village and has become the vibrant social hub for the expatriate community of the wider area. Whether your interest lies in reading groups, sports, fitness, dinner parties, singing, wine appreciation, learning pétanque or joining a French language group, you will be made welcome to precisely the extent you desire. Newcomers from overseas are generally surprised to discover the scope of village-owned and operated facilities designed to encourage social interaction - outdoor and indoor sports facilities, all-weather tennis court and two village halls hosting everything from country dancing to Zoomba classes. In 2024, Monpazier hosted the Equestrian Endurance World Championship featuring dozens of teams from around the world - a testament to the interest in all things equestrian in the vicinity, including regular trotting races in the village-owned hippodrome. The village shops cater to everyday needs - mini-market, butcher, 2 boulangeries, 2 greengrocers, 2 fine dining restaurants, 5 other restaurants, 5 cafés, wine bar, 2 hotels, a craft brewpub, half-a-dozen artists' galleries, boutiques and more. Supermarkets in Villeréal and Beaumont are less than a 15 minute drive. A pharmacy, nurses' station and primary care doctor's surgery serve the health needs of the village. Less than an hour's drive brings you to the Vézère River - 'The Valley of Mankind'. In this Unesco World Heritage Site visitors may explore numerous decorated prehistoric caves, incl