Styles of Character Property

Château, manoir, maison de maître — and what sets them apart

The French words for character property are precise, and rarely translate cleanly. A château is not a manoir; a maison de maître is not a maison bourgeoise; a mas is not a bastide. The distinctions are about original function and social rank as much as architecture — and they determine what you are actually buying.

The eight styles below are the ones French Character Homes presents.

Châteaux

From the medieval stronghold to the pleasure palace: what the word actually covers.

Manoirs & Manor Houses

The seigneurial country house: between farmhouse and château, fortified in appearance.

Maisons de Maître

The estate owner's house: symmetrical, ordered, often at the heart of a vineyard.

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Hôtels Particuliers

The private town mansion: courtyard in front, garden behind, a discreet face to the street.

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Maisons Bourgeoises

The 19th-century bourgeois town house: high ceilings, parquet floors, plaster mouldings.

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Wine Estates

House, chai and vines: a home and a working business at once.

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Mas & Bastides

The South: thick stone walls, canal tiles, shutters closed against the heat.

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Mills

Water and wind mills: a position on the water, and machinery often still in place.

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Looking by place rather than by style? Browse the regions.