FOR SALE: 11th-Century Home…a Possible Auberge or Luxury Home in Normandy

Chef and author, Susan Herrmann Loomis, wrote her first book, On Rue Tatin, about this house located at Number 1 rue Tatin in the Normandy town of Louviers. We filmed a House Hunters International in this house in our early years of filming the shows.

The New York Times wrote about it in 2009.

This is a very special house that is a landmark in the village and beyond…

Susan has hosted many dinners and events in its beautiful dining room—some of which I have had the privilege to attend—not to mention various cooking classes and demonstrations in the professional kitchen. We even learned how to make her famous “Tarte Tatin” among other French specialties.

Exploring The House is like taking a tour of life over the centuries, with all its nooks and crannies, stairways and surprises. You can easily be transported through time as you wander through the House and feel all the lives who have passed through its doors.

Just across the street is the Collégiale Notre Dame de Louviers. It’s a cathedral although not the parish seat, built between the 11th and 12th centuries, and newly restored in 2021 and 2022. The façade facing The House is pristine, the gargoyles intact, with the saints looking out with beneficence.

The foundation for part of The House was built in the 11th-century, as the church was being constructed. The rest was built between the 15th and 17th centuries. It was a convent for about 300 years—the Sisters of Mercy—who began as a group of women wanting to do good works. The nuns had a vegetable garden in the front yard and interestingly enough, the cellar in The House may be part of a series of tunnels that emanate from the church, and may have been built in the 14th-century, when the English took over the city. But these are only tales that have been told and heard.

Fast forward to the 1600’s and The House, which had been expanded with the addition of two newer parts, became a convent until the late 1970’s—when it was purchased by a family—then left to sit vacant for twenty years until Susan and her husband came along. They purchased The House in 1993 and lovingly restored it. They sculpted the small “cures” or priest’s garden out front, and made it a family home and cooking school with a warm, inviting professional kitchen, beamed-ceiling dining room, and two fireplaces for atmosphere and warmth. The House has held its charms all these years, its sense of peace imbibed from the nuns, and from a warm and loving family who have enjoyed it many years.

Those who know that I have X-ray vision—with the ability to remove the walls in my mind’s eye to see how a space should actually be configured—can appreciate that I have dreamed of turning the house into an “auberge” complete with guestrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a gourmet restaurant, and event space. It lends itself so perfectly to a project of this kind. There are many ways to renovate the space to accommodate such a facility and could be the center of activity for the entire department. Someone with imagination could easily turn this landmark into a profitable venture and adventure! I would happily show them how! And
if what you want is a warm and peaceful home, this wonderful house is the spot.

Here are some of the details about The House and the town of Louviers:

ADDRESS: 1 Rue Tatin, 27400 Louviers, France (it’s a corner lot)

HISTORIC LANDMARK: The foundation is from the 1200’s, the front part of The House is from the 1500’s, the second part of house is from the 1700’s and it was a convent at one time. It has been admitted into the Patrimony of France category, a prestigious honor.

LOUVIERS:

The Church of Notre-Dame de Louviers is a parish church in the Normandy town, Louviers, in the Eure department. It is a notable example of Gothic church architecture. The north façade, and especially the south façade and porch, are some of the best examples of late flamboyant Gothic architecture in France.

The small town of Louviers is built along several arms of the Eure,

Once renowned for its cloth industry, Louviers retains its Norman charm, particularly evident around the Cathedral, where half-timbered houses, grand edifices, former factories, and the unique waterborne Cloître des Pénitents coexist. The town is intersected by approximately 20 distributaries—natural or artificial water channels. Stroll along these waterways to discover local treasures such as the public garden, the Bigard garden, Villa Caldéron, the historic watermill, the museum, and more…truly enchanting.

SPECIFICATIONS OF THE HOUSE:

– Approximately 226 square meters (2,433 square feet)
– 10 room: 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (with the possibility of adding 2 more)
– 4 levels (including the attic space)
– 2 working wood-burning fireplaces (kitchen and dining room)
– Wood floors, some cement floors, and “tomette” tile flooring
– Professional kitchen: European and American plugs/outlets (with an electrical transformer added during the renovation)
– Double-paned windows
– Renovated façade on the street side
– Radiant heating in the floors on the ground level entry, seating area and dining room
– New heaters installed in 2016 (“chaudière au gaz”)
– Gas radiators throughout the home
– Electrical and plumbing renovated in 1995
– Cave/wine cellar
– Front garden filled with roses, two kinds of apple trees, fig trees, hazelnuts, pear trees, variety of flowers

ASKING PRICE: 439,000€ (all agency fees included)
Note: The Cometto professional gas range is NOT sold with the property

Annual Tax Foncière: 2,800€

• Take a virtual tour of the house. Note that the tour DOES NOT include every room!

• Download a PDF brochure
• Download the NY Times article

You’re the first to know about this property’s availability! For more information and to make an offer, contact Zerina Serulle, or call+33 (0) 6.16.35.39.34.

More info here.

A la prochaine…