Half tumbled down, but the barn and sheds were restorable

The Cherry farmhouse started life as a barn and animal sheds in the early 18th century, together with a small Fermette (cottage) and prune drier.

When bought by its present owner in 1992, the Fermette was half tumbled down, but the barn and sheds were restorable. The property was sympathetically renovated, using traditional French materials and local timber such as elm, chestnut and oak. The terracotta tiles are in a traditional French pattern of 3 large squares, with the infill tiles in a diagonal formation. This same pattern can be seen in many of the local châteaux.

Oak beams and pegs

The oak beams and pegs, that form the impressive rose that supports the roof, are from 17th century and pre-date the barn – it was very common to re-cycle building materials long before present day!

The corbels alone weigh 2.5 tonne each!

The impressive limestone fireplace was found in the fermette and moved, stone by stone to its current position in the barn. It dates from the 17th century and probably came from a local château, whose owners would have been on the wrong side of the French Revolution. The corbels alone weigh 2.5 tonne each! The adjoining limestone doorway and lintel was carved by the same mason, with the lintel being cut to fit the smaller fermette doorway. The skill of the present French masons shows in that both the fireplace and doorway look as if they have been there for over a century, not just from 1995.

Traditionally constructed, with apparent wooden planks

In the 2 downstairs bedrooms, the underside of the roof is traditionally constructed, with apparent wooden planks, called volege, adding more charm to these rustic rooms.

A wonderfully carved stone arch and is 120 feet deep

In the main bathroom, there is a well that was on the outside wall of the old fermette. It has a wonderfully carved stone arch and is 120 feet deep. But don’t worry, it is fully secured with both an iron grill and thick laminated glass. The ski-shoe like wooden petals that are above the well, were used to dry the prunes to make the famous Prune D’Agenais of the region. The fermette is now the sun terrace, with the prunier now the large barbeque area. The original fire entrance, with its now fused stones, for the prune drier, still is clearly seen, beside the pool house. The Cherry farmhouse is busting with character and has been very sympathetically restored to keep the traditional French look, but full of high quality modern fixtures and fittings to make for easy holiday living.

View the property.