Photography: courtesy of Patrice Besse
An ivy-covered manor house in the Nièvre countryside has come to market through Patrice Besse for €595,000. Near the Allier border, the 19th-century property occupies almost 3.5 hectares of parkland and carries traces of Georgian influence uncommon in this part of rural France.
Photography: courtesy of Patrice Besse
Reached via a rural lane lined with grazing fields of Charolais cattle, the manor rises from a gravelled forecourt planted with mature trees, including sequoias, copper beeches and century-old oaks. Its façades combine stone and brick with tall windows, steep slate roofs and a turret, while ivy spreads across much of the exterior in autumn reds.
The house spans around 330sqm across three principal levels above a full basement. Inside, original parquet floors, marble fireplaces, mouldings and leaded-glass doors remain intact. A large reception room occupies the eastern side of the ground floor, while seven bedrooms are arranged across the upper floors, several with fireplaces and en suite bathrooms.
An elongated outbuilding contains former stables, bicycle storage and a garage, while the grounds also include a swimming pool and broad lawns overlooking the surrounding countryside. Paris-Bercy can be reached from nearby Nevers in around two hours by train.
