Friday Fun: Manor Houses for Sale

They are officially listed under ‘chateaux’ on the exclusive property site Belles Demeures, but they range from medieval castles to 19th century extravaganzas for the lord of the manor, and the prices are far more reasonable than in England (the scenery often far more beautiful too). My conclusion after closely examining every single property on the site is that not enough people make use of all the space they have to create wonderful libraries…

[Apologies for the watermarks on the pictures, since Belles Demeures is an aggregate site for a collective of estate agents in France].

How I love the symmetry of this French chateau near Nantes.

Turrets and a massive park make even the plainest of houses more interesting, as in this example from Pontchateau.

This 19th century building in Nouan is being used as a hotel.

I just love this peaceful terrace at this manor house in Vannes.

Italian influence in this courtyard in Provence.

This castle in Chambery has the perfect demonstration of what a turret staircase might look like.

The more recent manor houses have wider staircases in wood, of course, like this example in Lisieux.