Ref. 4306: Magnificent listed Chateau in Champagne, for sale

This magnificent château is located just a few kilometers from Châlons en Champagne, in the Marne department, one of the four departments that make up the Champagne-Ardennes region. A region world-famous for its most prestigious wine, champagne!
Located in a small commune of 380 inhabitants, right next to the village church.
In practical terms, it's just 2 km from all the shops and services you need for everyday life. For children, there's a school bus service just outside the château. And to reach Paris by train, the station is 17 km away.

XVIIth & XVIIIth century château built on the site of an ancient seigniorial house whose earliest records date back to 1264. With the evolution of time, lifestyle and taste, it has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries. In 1608, Hugues MATHE, Receiver General of Finances for the Champagne region, acquired the château and carried out major works, including the two dovecotes in the courtyard and the renovation of the main building. In 1650, he commissioned the construction of a moat around the château, and had a canal built to divert water from the nearby river. The castle's numerous drawbridges were built at this time. Hugues MATHE organized the park in parallel, calling on Jean Debar, a pupil of the talented André Le Nôtre, to design his formal gardens. In 1735, the château was purchased by François Jean-Marie MOREL, President of the Presidial Court of Châlons-en-Champagne, who restored the building from top to bottom. This date is engraved on the lintel above the entrance door. He restored the facades "à la moderne", then added two small wings set at right-angles. Later, he carried out extensive work on the château's bridge and entrance gate. He also embellished the gardens with elegant flowerbeds, bridges and water mirrors, all embellished with attractive sculptures. Later, as a result of family alliances, the château passed into the hands of the Comtes Dubois de Riocour family.

Built of chalk stone and topped with an Irish purplish slate roof, the château stands at the center of a large rectangular terre-plein surrounded by water. A footbridge spanning the moat provides access to the château's courtyard. A magnificent main gate stands at the entrance to the bridge. On either side are two two-storey square pavilions, formerly dovecotes. The château has a classic east-west orientation, ensuring maximum sunlight. The gardens are to the east and the courtyard to the west.
The building is composed of a central body flanked by two wings, each of which has three storeys. Two lower, two-storey wings are attached symmetrically. These two wings are extended by two single-storey buildings framing the courtyard. This assembly creates an interesting interplay of roofs. The roofs of the two end wings are long-sloped and rise as high as the more compact roofs of the main building. Eight finials crown the building.
To the north, a final two-storey extension breaks the symmetry of the château. And, at the end of this extension, a heat pump-heated swimming pool (4 x 10 meters) (64 cubic meters of water). The château and northern extension total 1,535 sqm, with a further 210 sqm of accessible undeveloped attic space and 128 sqm of non-accessible attic space in the north and south pavilions.

The 595 sqm first floor is composed as follows:
A main entrance with a magnificent double spiral staircase in wood and wrought-iron banisters. The vestibule's cabochon tiled floor is almost three hundred years old. On either side of this entrance are 6 large salons with wood panelling and parquet flooring in a variety of patterns (Versailles, herringbone, bâton rompu, mosaic...). The doors feature elaborate bronze fittings. They feature the Counts De Riocourt family coat of arms in the form of a crown surmounted by nine balls indicating their rank of nobility. A large, fully-equipped kitchen, 4 toilets including 2 with disabled access, numerous storerooms and anterooms.

The extension comprises a large private apartment with fitted kitchen, 1 bathroom, 2 wc, 4 bedrooms, 2 offices and a laundry area. There's also a seminar area with its own independent staircase, comprising two training rooms and a breakout room.
A large garage.

-North pigeon house of approx. 135 sqm on three levels: fully-equipped gîte comprising living room/kitchen, two bedrooms, two shower rooms with wc.

-The south dovecote is unfinished, but with some renovation work a second 135 sqm gîte could be created.

-A 300 sqm reception marquee with parquet flooring and fireproof velums.

The grounds cover 42 acres, divided between the courtyard, the moat, the formal garden, which the current owners are gradually redesigning to reflect Le Nôtre's original work, and the forest with its inviting paths.
Water is everywhere, providing the romantic dimension sought after by the great castellan families of past centuries. The water features have a purely decorative function and contribute to the overall harmony of the design, reflecting the architecture of the château.
A private parking lot near the big top and a very large parking lot with four plots for over 350 cars.

The chateau is listed on the Inventaire supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques :
The facades and roofs of the château, the two lower wings of the outbuildings and the two entrance pavilions; main entrance gate and gate 18s leading to the garden with its pillars; moat and bridges crossing it (cad. A 123, 125, 412): listed by order of 06/1990.


Cabinet LE NAIL – Ile-de-France – Mrs Juliette PERRIN : +33 (0)2.43.98.20.20
Juliette PERRIN , Individual company, registered in the Special Register of Commercial Agents, under the number 512 172 768.
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Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available at: www.georisques.gouv.fr