WowHaus

We have featured some very special properties of late, with this 1950s Georges Lacaze-designed modernist property in Bergerac, Dordogne, France another fine addition to the list.

This distinctive raised property (it sits on ‘stilts’) was designed between 1956 and 1959 by the architect Georges Lacaze alongside his partner John Paul Pic. It has been a listed historic monument in France since 2008. Rightly so.

The architecture is special, but so is the location too. You will find this house in Bergerac, which is essentially a gateway to the Dordogne for many UK travellers, thanks to budget airlines using the airport there. When you fly in (or out), you can see some wonderful houses on the edge of Bergerac too, presumably this one included.

The house sits in that raised position in a fairly narrow plot, freeing up space on the land as a result and boosting the views of the picturesque Dordogne countryside as a bonus.

Not that it needs to be raised to stand out. This place really is a one-off and a design that has been maintained immaculately. The interior is looks pretty much untouched, with the detailing inside almost a tribute to the mid-20th century. Everything from the fireplace to the TV is desirable.

The space flows well too. The central reception area including a living room with that fireplace, a dining room and a kitchen is located upstairs and opens onto a terrace overlooking the river. Perfect for a summer’s evening. It also has retractable walls that can divide the space, should you need more privacy.

The kitchen is worth a mention in its own right of course. Original and to a design by René Fray. You will have to travel some distance to find another like it.

There is sleeping space too, with a master suite with bathroom and a guest bedroom with bathroom also on this floor.

On the ground floor you will find the garage, the ‘technical rooms’, the lobby and that amazing indoor pool with fully retractable glass wall overlooking a large terrace, not to mention an enamelled fresco by Paul Corriger.

Something of a modernist dream. If it happens to be your dream, the property is on the market for €722,000.

Images and details courtesy of Architecture de Collection. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.

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