Burgundy, Yonne, Vézelay, France

Just 2 hours from Paris via the A6 motorway and 15 km from the village of Vézelay, this property sits on over 7 hectares of land adorned with ancient trees and surrounded by steep wooded hills guaranteeing its privacy. A residence of both great elegance and subtle discretion, it is composed of two main buildings: the Grande Maison and the Pavillon. A large central square welcomes visitors and leads to the main courtyard, decorated with a small fountain, which separates the two houses. The Grande Maison includes all the main living areas, as well as four magnificent suites housing a total of eight bedrooms, each with a different colour. The most iconic rooms include: - the dining room, with its sideboard for carving hunting trophies, its immense fireplace for roasting them and its banquet table for serving them; - the music room, reflected in the water of the lake, which has retained its majestic piano for private concerts; - the writing room, all in woodwork and boasting a view of the grounds and the waterways; - and the library, situated in the tower and presenting a solid oak mezzanine affording aerial views of the main courtyard. The interior of the Grande Maison honours the great Burgundian architectural and decorative traditions: Burgundy flagstones decorated with cabochons in the reception rooms, cut stone fireplaces, sculpted oak bays, Puisaye pottery and the omnipresent symbol of the scallop shell, testament to pilgrimages to Vezelay and Compostela. Opposite the Grande Maison is the Pavilion, a cosy independent dwelling including a large living room, three bedrooms (including one in a tower), and a south-facing dining terrace. In the immediate vicinity of the main house, you will also find: - an artist's studio that once served as a painting and sculpture workshop (some of the sculptures, such as the Lady of the Lake, are still present in the house); two large stables from which to explore the surrounding hills, which are covered in trees and full of game. Beyond the character of this large residence, one can also hear the trickling of the river and its waterfalls, the main fountain and the Serpentine, which flows over the granite pebbles of its mossy bed. Herons and wild ducks still frequent the house and fish in its fish-filled waterways. The Gouffre has a depth of 3 metres, allowing for refreshing swimming all summer long. The garden has been designed for outdoor living and to take advantage of the magnificent light in each season. The large field is ideal for making bonfires at sunset while savouring the delicious appetizers and wines of the surrounding valleys. Vézelay and its Colline Eternelle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is only a few kilometres away. At Le Moulinot, there are many things that remain to be discovered, but just as many are yet to be invented.