19th-Century Manor House – 440 sq.m. – 7,274 sq.m. Landscaped Grounds – Remarkable Tree of France

On the grounds of a former convent founded in 1609, this private mansion from the July Monarchy overlooks the Yonne River from its terrace. Surrounding it is a fully enclosed English garden, where centuries-old trees guard the secrets of the estate. Faux marble, wood paneling, parquet floors, stained-glass windows, and painted ceilings: the original character has been meticulously preserved and restored, offering a contemporary lifestyle.

A unique architectural design
The slope of the Côte Saint-Jacques inspired the architect to create an unusual layout: the house has two ground floors. On the river side, a double-ramped stone staircase, built against the old convent wall, opens onto the terraced garden. On the hillside, the main floor opens directly onto the upper part of the park, allowing guests to be entertained without being seen. The brick and ashlar facades are classically austere and crowned with four sculpted finials. The walls, approximately 60 cm thick, are double-walled.

Those Who Shaped It
The original convent owes its existence to Pierre de Gondi, Cardinal de Retz and Count of Joigny, who founded it in 1609. In 1838, the residence was built for a wealthy Parisian bourgeois, according to the architectural principles then in vogue in the capital, and its design is attributable to a major Parisian workshop of the July Monarchy. The work was carried out by Louis Roblot, a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts, who became the city architect of Joigny in 1839. The garden was entrusted to the landscape gardener P. Montarlot, and the ironwork bears the signature of Rémy Garnier.

The Art of Entertaining
One enters through a gallery with faux marble (veined Carrara, faux Henriette, and Vert Campan) and original cement tiles. The grand staircase, with its wrought-iron railing adorned with scrolls and rosettes and its walnut handrail, displays its decorations from floor to ceiling.

On the main floor, the first drawing room is surmounted by an oval ceiling painted with a cherubic sky, highlighted with gilded stucco rocaille clasps. Its Carrara marble fireplace features a sculpted scallop shell, and the parquet floor is laid in a herringbone pattern. A second drawing room allows for parallel entertaining. In the dining room, two original stained-glass windows, with cobalt blue and ruby red cabochons, cast a tapestry of colors onto the parquet floor at sunset.

On the garden level, the study-library retains its Carrara Arabescato marble fireplace. The former billiard room, now a living room, opens its French doors onto the garden.

The sleeping area.
On the second floor, the master suite comprises a living room, bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom. Two further bedrooms, each with its own shower room, and a bedroom or office overlook the Yonne Valley. In the attic, a self-contained apartment and a loft with exposed chestnut beams accommodate guests or family.

On the first floor, a second master suite could be created without any construction work.

In total: 5/6 bedrooms, a self-contained apartment, a loft, and 7 bathrooms and shower rooms.

Understated comfort.
The restoration was thorough: Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating B – rare for a large historic residence – new dual heat pumps, elevator serving all levels, fiber optic internet, mechanical ventilation, and walk-in showers. The slate roof is inspected annually.

An exceptional park and a remarkable tree of France.

At the main entrance, a rare, century-old Japanese pine spreads its 14-meter branches, forming a miniature canopy. Beside it, a venerable exotic tree stands majestically on a terrace: a Chinese arborvitae that has earned the prestigious and elite "ARF" label, meaning "Remarkable Tree of France."

Classified as a protected natural area and part of a conservation area, the garden is enclosed by walls. It boasts 32 freestanding yew trees, a fastigiate yew over 8 meters tall, 21 freestanding boxwood trees, large linden trees, and horse chestnut trees. All are over a century old. Anemones, cyclamen, and wild strawberries carpet the ground throughout the seasons. Squirrels, hedgehogs, and numerous resident bird species have made it their home. As an added bonus, a 160 m² building plot is adjacent to the garden.

Outbuildings
An automated two-car garage, a former kennel, a medieval wine cellar, and two gates dating from 1875 (one for pedestrian access and one for vehicle access) complete the property.

Location
Joigny, a medieval town in the Yonne department and a designated City of Art and History. The house is a short walk from the river, the old town center, the train station, and a few minutes from an airfield. Paris is 1 hour 15 minutes to 2 hours away by train (hourly schedule).