Happy Thursday! A rustic Savoyard farmhouse circa 1890 in the foothills of the Belledonne mountain range, in Isère, Rhône-Alps, France!
Located in stunning Alpine mountains perfect for hiking, skiing, and enjoying nature, this beautifully renovated farmhouse seems like a lovely place to slow down and enjoy life. It is close enough to larger towns to be practical as a full-time residence but could also be an ideal guest house to rent to vacationers.
From the listing on Patrice Besse:
Situation
Located at an altitude of 600 meters on the foothills of the Belledonne range, the house is very peaceful, although not far from the Chambéry-Turin motorway axis. Chambéry is a forty minute drive away; Albertville, thirty minutes away and Grenoble one hour away. Turin is 150 km away. The property is located five minutes from the center of the town with all the services and shops. The first major ski area, Saint-François-Longchamp, linked to Valmorel and other resorts is a half hour drive away; Orelle, winter sports resort integrated into the Val-Thorens / Les Trois Vallées ski area, forty minutes away. 4 km away, a leisure center with fitness trail, water games and, for experienced cycling enthusiasts, the legendary passes.
Description
At the end of the departmental road, the house turns out to be the last in the hamlet. The path then turns into a forest path, where the conifers begin to mingle with the traditional deciduous forest. (The path winds up to an altitude of nearly 2000 m in the massif.) The house is ideally located on a plateau opening up a perspective on the valley and the steep and rocky peaks with strong drops of the mountain range on the opposite side. Built in stone and wood in 1890, its sheepfold and its cellars bear witness to what was originally a farm. This one will have waited until 2009 for the current owners to restore it in its entirety, guaranteeing all the current comfort while preserving the charm of the old one and the Savoyard tradition. Its rustic appearance, like the local farms, even exalts the harmony of the volume. On an almost square base, the squat stone walls support the sloping slate roof. The cladding is in larch and fir. Three Jacobean skylights and four roof windows were created to bring light under the eaves. North facade, the wooden balcony then makes a square over a length covering half of the east facade. Opposite, a semi-detached outbuilding in stone and wood, the roof of which has been redone in sheet metal.
The House
With a living area of approximately 170 m², the house is articulated according to the original rooms and thus creates a circulation by half-levels thanks to three straight wooden staircases. The materials used for the renovation of the interior were chosen to keep the authentic character of this Savoyard building. The floors are in Limeyrat stone and oak. Two entrances are possible either by the old sheepfold or by the balcony. Numerous openings guarantee very good light. In the basement, two cellars.
Base level
The old sheepfold with stone vaults has been converted into a spacious living room. It is the room in the house that is least open to the outside, which gives it special privacy.
Half floor
The kitchen is located on a half level and is accessible by two stairs communicating with the living room or the vestibule. Stone, wood and plaster are everywhere present and visible. The old fireplace emphasizes this trait. A door opens onto the balcony. In its extension, a bright room with jointed stone walls is exposed to the south / east.
Half floor
The vestibule located on the balcony side opens onto the dining room which is a through room. The walls are covered with plaster and the ceiling reveals its exposed beams. A large bay window communicates with the room below. A French window accesses the meadow and a skylight on the ground creates a skylight in the living room. In the vestibule, another staircase with wooden steps on a metal frame serves the attic.
Attic
The large landing, dressed entirely in wood, leads to a bathroom and three bedrooms, one of which has its own bathroom. The spacious bedrooms are also entirely clad in wood on the walls and ceilings. The caves One of the cellars is used as a technical room and a laundry room.
The addition
Three steps lead to the small stone terrace facing south. A wooden door opens onto a living room. An external staircase leads to another small covered wooden terrace and serves the single room used as a bedroom. Two cellars and a storage room are located below. As it stands, the outbuilding is not a dwelling and equipment would be required for that.
What we think
Far from any urban bustle, the house, characteristic of the region, tastefully renovated, opens onto the great outdoors. It will suit a family wanting to settle permanently or also, as a resort. Anyone looking for calm and also looking for proximity to alpine sites for all the activities and riches offered by the mountain, summer and winter, will be overwhelmed by the charm of the place, both by the site and the house itself.
Escapist To The Country 