8 Bed Castle/Chateau for sale in Vienne, Poitou-Charentes, France

LOCATION
Manoir La Cure is located by the river Gartempe, at the end of a short street from the village square in Antigny, 3 km from St. Savin. In half an hour by car you can reach Poitiers town which has both an airport with international flights and connections to all France, a TGV train station (65 minutes from Paris) and is connected to the motorway (main North-South axis).

Manoir La Cure is exceptional, very close to the village and at the same time surrounded by small fields and its own 20 hectares of woodlands and a two hectares park. The area has schools at primary-, middle- and secondary level. Poitiers itself is a renowned university city. Within 10 miles might you can find quality hospitals, all necessary services, large retail outlets as well as the historic town of Montmorillon, the beautiful medieval Chauvigny and the picturesque Chatellerault.


DESCRIPTION
The 14th. Century manor is in perfect conditions and fully renovated, except for the small tower in the courtyard. The property has central heating, electricity and ASDL telephone line. The layout of the small fortified castle is typical of late medieval constructions as its living quarters are organised around a square courtyard. In addition the property has several outbuildings.

Main Body
Cellar: Roman (approx. I.st. Century AD) with vaulted ceilings and wine-storage racks.
Ground floor: 90m sq hall, grand fireplace of stone, veranda with double glazing. 66m sq Hall, Louis XIII fireplace
Hall 7m x 7m, previously used as projection room.
Archive room 3m x 4m by projection room
Garage (7m x 7m) with space for seven cars and with gasoil and wood boilers.
Staircase inside round tower, diameter 4,5m

First Floor:
Bedroom 1: 4,50m x 5m with bathroom
Bedroom 2: 5m x 4m with bathroom
Bedroom 3: 7m x 5m with bathroom
Bedroom 4: 4,50m x 3,50m with another loft bedroom above it of the same size.

Combined kitchen and dining room (9m x 7m).
Hall (7m x 7m) with a Gothic fireplace seven large windows which have double glazing Views over the park, the Gartempe valley and the pool.
Mezzanine (7m x 4m) above hall with Louis xiii balustrade
Passage to outbuilding 1 (warden’s house) with little tower over the middle raised on wooden columns.

Second floor: Loft 7m x 11m converted into soundproofed living room.

Outbuilding 1 (Warden’s house)
Ground Floor: Combined living room and kitchen with gothic fireplace
There is a wooden staircase leading to the 1st floor which has one bedroom (5,5m x 5m) and a bathroom (2,50m x 4m).
Second Floor: loft of 8,5m x 4m.
The building is accessed via the inner courtyard. In addition here is a garage of 6m x 8m and a pool maintenance room.


Outbuilding 2 (Summer house)
Small cottage over two floors. Close to the pool. Covered patio with BBQ reused Louis XIII fireplace and pool changing room.
Ground floor: Living room 7m x 7m, stone staircase leading to the 1st floor.
First floor: Bathroom 1,50m x 4m. One small bedroom 3,50m x 2,50m and a second bedroom of 6m x 4m.

Outbuilding 3 (workshop)
Ground Floor: accessed by courtyard. Size: 10m x 2,50m

Outbuilding 4 (tower)
Ground floor: Accessed by courtyard, 3m x 3m in size.
First Floor: 3m x 3m in size.

Garage
Access hidden behind trees at the back of the pool.
22m x 6m, space for seven cars. Both electricity and water installed.

Other features
Ancient well - 25m deep
2 hectares park
20 hectares woodlands with paths. Good hunting.
Heated swimming pool of 8m x 15m. 3m at the deep end, 0,90m at the shallow end.

MANOIR LA CURE - A VERY LONG AND INTERESTING HISTORY
The area currently occupied by the Manoir La Cure has been inhabited at least since Roman times, where a structure stood on the same site, close to the famous religious and healing Gallo-Roman centre at the Gue de Sciaux. Of the original Roman structure now only the vaulted cellar (I.st Century AD) under the Manoir remains as witness. As with many other commanderies of the period in France, it was a small stronghold of the then powerful order of Knights Templar that thus controlled the approach to the ford at the Gue de Sciaux.

The Manoir is situated in the Merovingian village of Antigny, well-known for the extraordinary frescoes in the ancient Church. The original commanderie was eventually enlarged to a larger structure comprising three towers: one large of rectangular base and inhabitable; another cylindrical by the courtyard, which provided the ascent to the higher levels via a stone staircase which is still in place and well preserved; another small square tower attached to the former completed the fortifications of the commanderie.

The commanderie, in a process that, with the end of the Hundred Years’ War became common throughout France, -by then the order of the Knights Templar had been dissolved- was adapted in the Vetch. Century to a more inhabitable and palatial condition, with larger spaces and windows, which is why it is thereafter referred to as “Manoir”. It is at this time that the building acquired its present form, with added outbuildings and a further two towers. Nevertheless, the Manoir still keeps its military character, with a moat still protecting the North-West side and overcome via a wooden bridge that gives access to the original Templar entrance. The main noble body, including the three original towers, is protected on the South-East side by a large quadrangular courtyard, accessed by two entrances on either side, walled and flanked by two additional towers.

The courtyard offers to curious eyes a deep Merovingian well, mysterious for the remains of parallel horizontal tunnels that open into it and head in the direction of the village church, which suggest a use other than the provision of water.

The Manoir, in the second half of the XXth. Century found itself, after the abandonment of the period between the wars, when its ruins were inhabited by the village priest (which explains the name “Cure”, from the French ‘curee’, for priest), a most unlikely destiny in the hands of Francis Paudras and Gaston Orellana. Francis Paudras, artist, designer and philanthropic Jazz patron, restored the entire building from a ruined hulk to its former glory and charm, bringing to this house many of his admired friends, including Bud Powell, Billie Holiday and many others.

The Manoir was also witness to another touching landmark of Jazz history: Francis Paudras took Bud Powell from his deteriorating state in a mental recovery clinic New York where he was not even allowed to even play the piano. Bud drew a piano on the wall of his near-prison room. Paudras took him to the Manoir la Cure for over a year and a half, where he lived and jammed in the auditorium and recording studio, and even more particularly, the piano that he drew on the elevated corridor over the North-East side still remains to thank Francis for saving his work from the torment of the mental hospital. These events are beautifully depicted in the film Around Midnight, part of which was shot at the Manoir La Cure. The recording and auditorium room built in the carefully converted loft still crowns the tallest tower.

Gaston Orellana, painter and sculptor, has found refuge in the Manoir from his purchasing the property, a sanctuary dedicated to his work, which now fill the lower halls of the main body.