THE HISTORY OF FERME CHÂTEAU COTY

 

Part of Ferme-Château Coty was already in existence at the end of the 17th century as a simple farm with a kitchen, a large stone bread oven and an adjoining bedroom. At the start of the 19th century, the farm was extended and a complex of large barns, stables and staff quarters built around a central courtyard.

In 1883, in the heyday of tobacco farming, the Maison de maître was built. The status of the owner was underlined by the addition of a tower with a large pigeonière, along with the planting of cedars. In the 20th century, Coty has been home to a notary and a doctor, both of whom employed their own farm labour, primarily for tobacco growing. There was also a small herd of Limousin cows and wine was produced here for a time.

In addition to its fertile soil, Coty has two springs which are still used to supply the pool, the small fountain in the courtyard and a tap in the kitchen. The stone swimming pool with its spring-house is authentic and served as a water basin for the livestock.

On the estate, bread was baked, wine was made, crops were grown and animals were kept, making Coty virtually self-sufficient. The last owner was an Italian farmer who came to offer his services to the estate together with his wife.

He inherited the 33-hectare estate from the widow for whom he had previously worked and only ever inhabited part of the house. He left the ferme-château unchanged until selling it in 1999 at the age of 93, along with all the farm equipment, carts, tractors, furniture, a Citroën 2CV and tools from his own era.

Since then, the entire property has been carefully restored with respect for its function as a farm and a nod to the chic details inside the maison de maître. The tobacco has been replaced by sunflowers, the tractors still work on the farm and the bread oven is perfect for baking dozens of pizzas at a time.

Preserving the ambience de l’époque was easy, thanks to the many original details which had remained untouched in the house.

The wooden panelling around the entire ground floor, the Venetian parquet floor, the faux marbre walls (imitation marble), the marble fireplaces and stucco ceilings, along with the property’s historical tobacco association, lend it an almost Cuban grandeur. The warm colours used only add to this ambience.

For your comfort, large bathrooms have been added to each room and there are wonderful double four-poster beds throughout.

The large kitchen has retained its rustic style and is fitted with all modern conveniences for cooking with family and friends. The restored Berkel slicing machine invites you to slice fine hams, while the long table on the veranda adjoining the kitchen has room for 26 “gourmands“.

In the evening, you can take a refreshing dip in the pool, watch a film in the open air or play a game of pool. This is the life!