Antique Farmhouse in Idyllic Location with Lovely Views and 1.2 Ha Grounds

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The successful, on-budget and on-time renovation of this property was featured on UK's Channel 5 on 4th March 2005

Near Nizza Monferrato

Situation : This 200 year old farmhouse is set in a peaceful and very sunny location halfway up a gentle hill, surrounded by vineyards, arable fields and meadows. The property, measuring approximately 1.2 Ha (3 acres), enjoys lots of privacy and gorgeous far-reaching views. It is just a very short drive away from Nizza Monferrato, a lively market town and a well-known centre of the wine trade. Nizza has good day-to-day shopping facilities, excellent restaurants and wine bars, banks, a hospital, cinemas and an excellent school. The colourful weekly Friday market at the main square, the Piazza Garibaldi, and the antique market held there on one Sunday a month, are both very popular. In the direction of Alessandria the motorway/freeway/autostrada can be reached by car in 20 minutes. The international airports of Milan, Turin and Genoa are within an hour's drive away.

The House: The two-storey south-facing brick farmhouse dates from the mid-18th century and is built in the typical style of South Piedmontese vineyards, the so-called cascinas, in which the living and working areas are under one roof. This makes architectural and functional changes quite straightforward. The condition of the building is good, but it is in need of general modernization and refurbishment. Most of the floors are original cotto, and the rooms feature attractive vaulted ceilings which can be sand-blasted to bring them back to their original beauty. We are happy to help the buyer find a very competitively-priced geometra (builder) to oversee the renovation. We provide this service to buyers free of charge.

Accommodation

Ground floor: The entrance door opens from the courtyard into a small hall, with a door on the left leading to a spacious room - formerly a kitchen - with two windows looking onto the courtyard. A door leads from here to the former living room - also overlooking the courtyard - which features a beautiful, antique tiled floor a la Veneziana and an open fireplace. Only accessible from the outside, the former stable could easily be integrated into the main accommodation. The house also has a spacious underground wine cellar - again accessible from the courtyard - that features a beautiful brick-vaulted ceiling. Behind the house are 2 porticos: one of these could be used as a garage.

First Floor: Original stone stairs lead from the hall up to a small first-floor landing. Here there used to be a balcony, which could easily be reinstalled. The 3 spacious bedrooms all face South, enjoy fine views over the open countryside, and have lots of light. Located at the back of the house on the first floor, separated only by a wall, the former hayloft could be integrated into the house to provide space for a further bedroom and 2 bathrooms.

Outside: The house is approached from a quiet country lane by its own driveway. The property includes a large meadow in front of the house and a plot of mediterranean woodland on the slope behind the house. This area used to be a vineyard, and could be re-converted into a vineyard - subject to permission - if required. There are various mature fruit trees in the grounds surrounding the house, and there is plenty of space for a generous swimming pool. The grounds also include a small outbuilding.

Services: Mains water and mains electricity.

Sporting facilities: There are a number of golf courses in Southern Piedmont. The one nearby, Margara near Felizzano, can be reached by car in 25 minutes. South Piedmont is perfect for bike riding: there are numerous small, scenic roads - mostly tarmac-surfaced - connecting the hills and villages. Horse riding is also very popular, and there are good riding facilities in the area. The nearest tennis courts can be found in Nizza Monferrato and Canelli. The beaches of the Riviera are a one hour drive away.

Viewing Strictly by appointment with the sole agents, Piedmont Properties.

Our opinion: The property is in a peaceful location with lots of privacy, yet it is not remote. The house is perfectly suited to become an all-year-round residence, but would also be perfect for renting out on a weekly basis.

More Pictures are available of this property.

For more information contact us quoting reference P212.