Opis:

28 km from the historical centre of Toulouse, and 45 minutes from Toulouse international airport, in the heart of the Lauragais region known as the 'little Tuscany' this stately house of the XVIIIth century is nestled in a shrine of greenery of 3 acres. The house has been fully restored with quality materials and has retained many of its original features. It is composed of 15 rooms over 420 sqm of which 340 are heated. Let's start the visit by a vast and warm kitchen big enough to host an Aga cooker, a fireplace and a large table. Conveniently the kitchen is extended by an adjacent pantry and cellar, and branches out on a terrace for diners al fresco in spring, summer and autumn. The central hallway serves the dining room with its beautiful wooden mantelpiece, a sitting room, a study and a bedroom with an en-suite bath room. Another large room used currently as a studio can be used as another bedroom. The hallway opens up on the garden through a romantic French window with a top of stained glass and leads to a charming wisteria pergola going down to the garden. Two toilets and a wide room with a mezzanine used currently as a music room complete the ground floor which also comprises the boiler room, a wine cellar and a garage accessible through a covered terrace. Upstairs a wide and clear landing serves 4 adorable bedrooms painted in soft shades of Farrow and Ball, with large wooden floorboards, and fireplaces with marble mantel piece. The first floor which is completed by a very wide bathroom/shower room with a rest bed and a fireplace and a walk-in dressing room will accommodate your family or guests in a cosy atmosphere. A large room of 54 sqm used as storage room now can be converted into more bedrooms. The house has been restored to keep most of its period features such as 10 fireplaces (some with a wooden mantelpiece, some with marble or stone mantelpiece), its large floorboards, period cement floor tiles, a stone staircase with an elegant wrought iron and wood handrail. This house is the perfect example of country house where the local gentry used to live in the XVIIIth century.
The enclosed grounds of about 3 acres (see map) is a romantic shrine for this lovely house. Half of it is made of woods (oaks and ash trees) covered in daffodils in spring. The park organised with boxwood alleys hosts century old trees of noble species such as umbrella pines, cypresses, cedar, chestnut, paulownia, oak:) fruit trees , a wealth of peonies and rose bushes and a kitchen garden. Two wells allow for the irrigation of this vast park. A barn of 46 sqm and a typical pigeonnier of 93 sqm could be converted into chambre d'hote or gite to offer an additional revenue. The 12.5x4.25m pool, nestled in the garden, is one of those rare big pools where one can swim and exercise at leisure or laze on its 146 sqm terrace.

Our opinion

It's an absolutely charming and out of time place, a sort of world in itself, with unexpected nook and corner both in the house and in the park. The atmosphere of this property is absolutely timeless and if it was not for internet access, central heating, pool and all the other components of today's comfort, it would be easy to feel back in time one or two centuries ago! This is a house with a soul, for people with a strong feeling for history, antique furniture, romantic strolls in the park. It could host a large family or a gite business with the refurbishing of the typical Lauragais pigeonier or the barn.

The immediate surroundings

The village of Caraman is just 2 km away from the estate. It's a big sized village with all amenities including a weekly colourful market with local farmers, several bakeries, butcher, flower shops, supermarket, a few restaurants, newsagent:.Then schools from creche and nursery school to secondary school allow to have your children from babies to teenagers (14) educated in a quiet and safe environment. As far as health is concerned, Caraman counts 2 pharmacies, several doctors, several nurses and several dentists and physiotherapists.

Pictures by Guillaume Lestrade (the nicest ones!)