Labastide-d'Armagnac, Aquitaine 40240

A house steeped in history, from the 14th, 17th and 18th centuries, with a separate garden and barn, in the heart of a bastide in France's Landes department. The old square Place Royale is picturesque on all four sides: a 12th-century fort-like church stands on one side and arcades forming galleries line rows of houses, which are mostly half-timbered. The village is full of buildings that date back to periods between the 14th and 18th centuries. Almost all of them have been masterfully restored. They are hidden among the countless alleys that form a grid leading to the square. Today, this historical square is a hub for encounters and conviviality, fostered by the presence of several restaurants and a parking ban here. Nearby, artists' studios and a range of curiosities line medieval streets. For example, there is a Protestant church built in 1607 that has been turned into an exhibition centre. On the square, the house lies opposite the church. The dwelling is known as the most beautiful house in Labastide-d'Armagnac. It has a ground floor, a first floor and a loft that could be converted. It is nestled on the square's north-east corner, so it has two entrances beneath its galleries: one leads in from the square Place Royale and the other leads in from a side street. The house faces south-east. It stands on the edge of the square, blending harmoniously into its architectural environment. The dwelling is crowned with a roof of monk-and-nun tiling on which a gabled dormer stands. The facade's upper section, made of brick and lattice-patterned timber framing, rests upon a thick stone wall and solid beams and joists, which are supported by two stone pillars - part of a former gallery of shops. On the first floor, three segmental-arch windows with crosspieces stand behind wrought-iron guardrails. They are fitted with wooden shutters. At the back, on the north side, there is a small terrace on the first floor. Lastly, in line with the house, there are two small rooms in a section with an entrance from outside: a fitness room with a wine cellar and lavatory and a space with a recent oil boiler and its tank.