Toucy, Burgundy 89130

An elegant manor house, surrounded by tree-filled grounds and its many flowering plants, on the outskirts of a Burgundy village, two hours from Paris. Residential and sprawling, the village is scattered with stately homes concealed behind thick vegetation, while the property is accessible via an impressive and ornate wrought-iron double gate, supported by two large stone pillars and flanked on either side by large lime trees, which opens on to an interior gravel courtyard, cadenced by a large swath of lawn. Here, a staircase with wide steps ascends towards a second courtyard, traversed by a central stone path and separated from the surrounding verdant foliage by a low stone wall, which is, in turn, topped with wooden fencing. Dating from the middle of the 19th century, the dwelling, overlooking its grounds, has been inhabited by the same family since 1931: three generations of foresters, who then became operators of a sawmill followed by a fuel business. With two storeys, the white stone façade, facing south, is cadenced by large windows, safeguarded by solid or louvred wooden shutters, as well as matching window/door surrounds, lintels and quoins. As for the ground floor, it stands out thanks to its glazed front door, topped with an elegant glass awning, recently restored, while the house's slate hipped roof is crowned with a dormer window. Extending on from the dwelling to the west, an ancient conservatory is accessible via a gate that makes it possible to close off the space or, inversely, open it up towards the grounds, whereas, facing the dwelling, is a working antique sundial flanked by original stone benches on either end of the courtyard. Following on from here, is a large, immaculate space - with a variety of multi-century trees - containing several verdant niches landscaped with different ambiances, a long avenue of lime trees creating a forested canopy alongside the ruins of an ancient fireplace, as well as small recessed openings providing access to the property's other wooded areas. With another entrance located behind the house and near a pond, a cobblestone path to the east leads to the wine cellar, while, higher up, a patio is bordered by a small dry stone wall. Last, but not least, the grounds also contain two pieces of land zoned for construction: one towards the bottom of the property and the second behind the house, not far from the property's third entrance.