Coutances, La Basse Normandie 50200

A 17th-century townhouse with a walled garden, 15 minutes from the sea, in France's Manche department in Normandy. The townhouse Hôtel Paquet de Beauvais was built in 1650. It stands just a stone's throw from Coutances town centre. It has a central section framed between two wings. On the street side, there is a gravel court, closed with a monumental gate. Over the course of history, the edifice was home to several judicial officers, then to Counter Admiral Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin), before housing the Coutances subprefecture office from 1802 to 1830. Slate roofs crown all its built sections. The elevations are made of dressed stone and punctuated with tall small-paned windows fitted with louvred shutters. The slate roofs have dormers with pediments. A trained wisteria climbs up the elevations and showcases the main entrance, which stands at the top of a flight of stone steps. The house offers a 285m² liveable floor area spread over two main levels. There are several reception rooms, an office and five bedrooms. Parts of the original wooden floors, timber staircases and wooden panelling have been preserved. The 17th-century stoneware floor tiles are also among the edifice's remarkable historical features. Behind the house, a 600m² walled garden extends the plot northwards. There are vast vaulted cellars and different outbuildings too.