Guingamp, Brittany 22200

A 16th-century manor with three hectares of grounds and a heated swimming pool, 30 minutes from the coast in northern Brittany. A large electric gate leads into a closed courtyard, around which the manor and its outbuildings stand. The manor stretches upwards majestically. Behind the edifice, on the south side, there are three hectares of grounds, edged with a continuous hedge of trees and shrubs that ensure absolute privacy in the garden. Grassy expanses punctuated with tall trees surround a lake. There is a swimming pool beside the manor too. Built in the late 16th century then redesigned in 1724, the manor is rectangular in shape. It has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. It is crowned with a gabled slate roof. On the left side, a slightly lower section introduces a certain asymmetry into the overall shape. This can be particularly seen in the roofing. Yet this asymmetry is toned down by an octagonal tower between the two sections. Capped with a cone roof, this tower houses a spiral staircase that leads to the different floors. To the right of the tower, a dormer with a triangular pediment protrudes from the roof slope. The elevations are made of rubble granite. The window and door surrounds are made of dressed stone. Several arched doors and a stone-transom window, all well preserved, bear witness to the old age of the edifice. Aluminium window frames - modern and charcoal-grey in colour - fit discreetly into the old stonework, helping fill the interior with natural light.