Compra: Vivenda (45500)

Tucked in the Sologne region, famous for its natural forests and lakes, close to the wine lands of Sancerre, we present this superbly preserved château dating from the 15th century, a family property in the heart of a peaceful old village with small shops and a small church. The estate benefits from three points of access with intercoms, including a tree-lined driveway leading to the impeccable Louis Xiii style courtyard. The beautiful façades provide varying frontages: a robust quadrangular tower with trellis patterned brickwork, an ornate pepper pot tower, a cylindrical tower with conical roof, and various elevations pierced with numerous glazed openings, arranged to maximize light penetration. Edged with dry moats, the château rises in the middle of a landscaped romantic wooded park, entirely enclosed and bordered by a sleepy canal at the bottom of the hill. Dominating the vast lawn, a monumental tri-centenary Lebanese cedar tree harmoniously echoes the extensive scale of the château. A seperate French landscaped garden is set out between the remarkable vegetable garden, flower beds and river-side path, revealing the different facades of the building as one advances along the promenade. The château consists of a central volume framed by two asymmetrical wings, including an open-air gallery, with three floor-levels over the cellar. One enters on the ground level through a transversal vestibule with a staircase to the left. A first reception room leads towards a historic dining room with its opulent sixteenth-century Flanders leather wall screens - extremely rare - decorated with pewter and painted in relief. Also on this level : a regency-style library with sumptuous carved wood paneling, a smoking room, and other reception rooms overlook the sunny south-facing terrace. Upstairs, the staircase opens onto a gallery serving six bedrooms with views overlooking the river, four bathrooms and a storage wing. The second floor, lit by several ornate dormer windows, offers a further series of bedrooms and bathrooms. The attic level is kept clear : a series of open spaces maintained in perfect condition. The traditional timber frame is renovated natural slate fixed with stainless steel and interrupted with charming dormer windows. The cellar level covers an original layout including an extraordinary ancient ice room (with interesting transformation potential), used formerly to preserve the hunt of the estate. Elsewhere in the basement there are other spaces : a wine cellar, a central-heating boiler and new large-capacity water heater to service the château. The 17-hectare estate is surrounded by various brick pavilions, including the caretaker's house 150 m², vast stables and the old bovine shelter with its Philibert Delorme roof, garages, as well as an elegant 350m² guest house with swimming pool and private garden. Modular spaces for events are equipped with lighting, toilets and food preparation space (conforming to professional standards). Ideal for weddings (with private path to the village church at 200m), rallies, seminars, film shoots. Possibility to open the castle to the public for guided tours of historical rooms, with seasonal accommodation for a guide and boutique space at the visitors' entrance to the estate. Listed in the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments of France, the exceptional architecture of this château, its memorable proportions, French-beamed ceilings, large open fireplaces, parquet floors, woodwork and natural light all bring to life this cherished pearl of Louis Xiii architecture. It is a rare and authentic property which inspires history and heritage enthusiasts. Renovation work up to date and in perfect condition. There is no vis-à-vis or nuisance.