WABI SABI

Overlooking the Natura 2000 listed Échelle valley, the charm is felt from the moment you arrive, taking a stone footbridge that spans deep dry moats, at the height of a 12th-century tower, covered in ivy. The vestibule offers an instant perspective on the promontory terrace, suspended above the moat and the underground passages that run behind the building. In contrast to the imposing, timeless exterior, the château's interior evokes a country house on a human scale. The current owners have undertaken a sensitive and respectful renovation in the refined style of Les Petites Emplettes, allowing the history and patina of the place to shine through, with the leitmotif of letting volumes, textures and materials express themselves, and inviting light to circulate through the large windows, capturing the surrounding nature at every moment. Raised on three levels, the ground floor mainly accommodates living rooms facing north-south, bathed in light. This is reflected on the whitewashed shell stone walls and punctuated by original doors painted in a timeless green. The eclectic floors combine hexagonal terracotta tiles, speckled checkerboard tiles from the 1950s, and wide wooden planks. An elm staircase with elegant ironwork follows the curves of the stone wall and leads to the four levels, from the cellars to the attic, generously distributing the spaces, including eight bedrooms, their adjoining rooms, and three bathrooms. The top level, with exposed beams, offers a panoramic view of the picturesque surrounding landscape. To the west of the château, a U-shaped farmhouse houses over 1,500 m² of outbuildings. These buildings, witnesses of rural activity of yesteryear, house barns, dwellings, workshops, and stables, some of which have been renovated. On one side of the verdant courtyard, a barn with spectacular volumes has been transformed into a multipurpose space, a showroom and open-air café, cascading over three levels and 300 m². A magnificent wooden frame, fully restored, harmoniously interacts with the freshly repointed stone walls, the sanded concrete floor, and the contemporary steel joinery. Opposite, an outbuilding has been converted into a gîte, in the spirit of a country cottage. This little cocoon combines the same values of light and material, with a contemporary touch upstairs, clad in beech plywood. The ground floor accommodates a cozy living room around a Godin stove, a sunny bedroom with an adjoining bathroom, and upstairs, a mezzanine dormitory with a second bedroom and its bathroom. It is impossible to describe everything, so rich is the place with inspiration and potential. The possibilities are countless to bring to life, transform and enhance these old buildings steeped in history. ARCHIK puts its team of architects at your disposal to assist you in the transformation of this unique property, and adapt it to your desires and your uses.