Normandy Chateau, non merci?

 

 The Chateau de Beaumesnil, non merci.

 Last week, while one Huffington regaled us with her escapades to the Bahamas, relaxing island style (and had most of us salivating over her days of endless beach walks, long restful naps and extensive reading – did she really read seven books?), the other Huffington Madame headed to France, expanding her horizons and visiting Normandy for the first time. We chose Normandy to celebrate my daughter’s college graduation, and in honor of her love of France and interest in history, we focused on the D-Day invasions and all the emotional events wrapped around world war II.

 

 My idea of a beach vacation: Utah Beach in Normandy. I know, who goes to the beach carrying a purse and wearing a skirt? OK, this was NOT a beach vacation – I just had to compete a little with Bahama Mama!

Although art history and houses are obviously my thing, and while my husband might tell you that I scour every real estate magazine no matter where we are, I loved being in Normandy on vacation with family and wasn’t the least bit tempted to go off hunting for a chateau — or art — to buy. Besides, although owning a chateau in Normandy sounds like a cool thing to do, it’s never been on my radar screen and I’ve never felt the slightest envy towards chateau owners. In fact, when I conjure up a “Chateau in Normandy” I think of some huge turreted bleak and grey medieval manse that would most likely be haunted, cost a fortune to heat, and have very bad plumbing.

This has always been my image of a “Normandy Chateau”:

 Chateau d’O. Too pointy for me!

Chateau Carrouges: Hmmm … I am not a turret fan!

 

 Chateau at Pont St Pierre. Perhaps a little too haunted looking for my taste.

I’m happy to say that we had a marvelous time, visiting art-filled sites, marveling at cathedrals and inhaling all of the history that surrounded us without giving any thought to the Normandy chateau thing.

And then on the very last day, when we were driving out to Omaha Beach for the second time, meandering through gorgeous fields and admiring the cow pastures, this gorgeous architectural apparition reached out and grabbed me:

 

The perfectly proportioned, gorgeously majestic chateau that took my breath away.

And the rest is history: All of a sudden, I get it, I’m hooked and I want in. The Normandy chateau doesn’t have to be that big scary turreted Disneyland concoction: It can be something with gorgeous proportions, elegant in its setting, close to historic battle fields and within a stone’s throw of magnificent beaches. In short, a Normandy chateau could be paradise – or at least an extension of Huff Harrington Home.

I loved the vacation and the visit to Normandy, but now that I’m back, I can’t help but dream about that gently proportioned, 18th century chateau that sits gracefully on a hillside, surrounded by French manicured gardens, with rolling fields sloping into the distance … and the wheels start turning. I instinctively start the real estate search (and I have to admit that I’m an expert at searching the French real estate listings!), and this is the first one that piques my interest.

 

 My first foray into chateau hunting turned up this delightfully proportioned 18th century beauty!

Here it is with its adjoining guest house. Pas mal!

Replete with original chapel, caretaker’s cottage and orangerie.

 

 I love the “boiseries” of the interior walls. The purple couches would have to go … but that’s an easy fix, especially after I got Sam Jones involved.

 And the kitchen has lots of potential. It reminds me of something else I love …

Charles Spada’s kitchen in Normandy – see more on that, below.

So how much is his gorgeous 18th century property which includes the 5,000 square foot chateau, a two bedroom caretaker’s cottage at the entrance of the property, a guest house with 3 bedrooms, a private chapel, stables, garages, an orangerie, a vegetable garden and formal gardens, all of which sit on 27 acres of rolling hills, within a 2 hour’s drive of Paris?

Well, we’re not really in the real estate business so we don’t want to get in to prices, but to give you an idea : Our Normandy estate has the exact same asking price as this 875 square foot apartment in Paris 7th arrondissement (Photos: Explorimmo.com):

 For the same price as a Normandy estate, you could buy this apartment in Paris

 About 875 square feet in Paris’ 7th arrondissement

 

Not exactly an eat in kitchen, but it does have a view … sort of!

 Rm w vu?

Or for the same asking price, you could purchase this NYC apartment, on Bank Street in the West Village:  (Photos courtesy Trullia) 

 

The listing reads:  Rare and amazing sponsor unit. Completely renovated two bedroom/one bathroom located in the West Village on picturesque, tree-lined, cobble-stoned Bank Street.

 

 Newly renovated windowed kitchen is well equipped with granite counters, white cabinets with lots of storage and stainless steel appliances including a Wolf range, Liebherr refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher.

Extremely sunny East and West exposures with street and city views.

 100 Bank St #5H

Which one would you choose?

I love Paris and New York, and the Normandy thing is admittedly more of a crush than a serious affair at this point, but I know I’d start by doing some research and fantasizing about the Normandy chateau, and maybe get some inspiration from Charles Spada’s wonderful renovation that was featured in Veranda Magazine last year..

 I remember loving this article when I first saw it in Veranda last year

 I love the boiseries and the color that he painted them

 I may be more of an art person than a plate person, but I’d still take this room any day!

 

 Sadly, we just sold our leopard skin rug at the Huff Harrington Home today … and I was fantasizing about covering a couch with it!

 Again, it’s the boiseries that gets my heart racing, although everything he has done in this house is absolutely charming

And then I’d get our magnificent design diva, Sam Jones involved (she is the one who helped me with the Paris apartment), and … well, can you see where this is going?

Are you coming along for the ride?

Ta ta …

HH