Gascony in the Hautes Pyrenées, bordering the Gers.

Set among the typically rolling hills of Gascony, between Marciac, famous for its International Jazz Festival, and Maubourguet, is this spacious house, dating from 1877, set in grounds of 6000m², with distant views of the Pyrenees.

The present owners, whilst creating quite an eccentric layout, have brought everything up to date. They have installed efficient insulation, double glazing, a water-treatment system, wood and/or electric heating systems and several electric meters throughout the house, enabling machines/rooms to be isolated as necessary.

The house is secluded but only 5 minutes, by car, from Maubourguet and Marciac, both of which are small market towns with good facilities. Further afield, Tarbes is a 30-minute drive, Lourdes airport is 50 minutes away and the international airport at Pau is about an hour's drive.

Accommodation: House - 500m². Garage/storage - 70m².

Ground Floor

¨     Glazed double doors open into the hall, 15m², with tiled floor, glazed display cabinet, exposed beams, wooden staircase and trap door with staircase to:

¨     Underground wine cellar, 12m².

¨     Dining room, 23m², with terra-cotta floor tiles, window, exposed beams and a wood-burning stove.

¨     Salon, 23m², with terra-cotta floor tiles, window, exposed beams and an open fireplace.

¨     Two connecting vestibules, 14m², with stone flooring recuperated from an C10th abbey, fitted cupboards and exposed beams.

¨     Shower/laundry room leading from vestibule, with separate wc & basin.

¨     Linen room, 12m², with range of fitted shelves and cupboards.

¨     Kitchen/breakfast room, 50m², with terra-cotta floor tiles, 2 windows, exposed beams and a good range of fitted units in solid, carved wood. The work surfaces are made from the abbey's recuperated stone and the equipment includes; 2 x ovens, double sink, built-in fish frier with extractor and hob with 2^nd extractor.

¨     Two large workshops, each 20m², with large windows to outside - could make small flat.

¨     Salon d'été/winter garden, 55m², with indoor garden, one fully-glazed wall, tiled floor, exposed beams and spiral staircase to mezzanine.

¨     Bedroom (3), 8m², with abbey-stone floor.

¨     Beyond the winter garden is an attractive room, 30m², used for indoor barbecueing, with a Godin stove, a larder and a storage area.

First Floor

¨     The main staircase leads up to a half landing with a door to a storage area. It continues on up to a pretty landing, 10m², with a "Norman" window.

¨     Bedroom suite, 30m², with terra-cotta floor tiles, window, sitting area, bedroom alcove and en suite bathroom with bath, shower, double basins, bidet and wc.

¨     Bedroom (2), 30m², with 2 small windows, 2 Velux windows, fitted cupboards and a "coin toilette" fitted with a basin and a wc. There is plenty of room to install a shower.

¨     There is a further unconverted space, 50m², on 2 levels, with carpeted floor, lambris ceiling (woodstrip), a built-in display cabinet, Velux window and sliding windows overlooking the bar/billiards room. This could make two more bedrooms/bathrooms.

Mezzanine Level

¨     From the winter garden a spiral staircase goes up to a magnificent room, 75m², with a completely glazed wall, lambris (woodstrip) ceiling, exposed timbers and a built-in bar fitted with a sink and shelving. This room is used as a bar/billiards room.

¨     Beyond the billiards room is bedroom (4), 15m², with 2 windows and an open plan shower room with shower, twin basins and wc.

Outside

¨     Garage, 40m².

¨     Woodstore, 28m², adjacent to the garage.

¨     Former pig/hen house with small walled courtyard.

¨     Large walled courtyard with round swimming pool, 6m diameter and 1.65m deep. This is an above-ground pool but it is solidly built in concrete, with all the relevant pool equipment.

¨     The land extends to 6000m² and is abundantly planted with mature trees and shrubs.

¨     There is a particularly productive array of fruit trees of all sorts, including fig, olive, plum, apple, cherry and pear.

¨     During the winter, when the water level rises a moated island appears. A bridge, in need of repair, links the main garden with the island. It would be possible to create a permanent island by increasing the flow of water.

¨     Electronic gates, flanked by pillars topped with stone lions, divide the property from the tiny country lane.

¨     A glazed passageway leads from the entrance, down the side of the house to the kitchen door.