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Blogging friends have been asking me if our house is typical of French architecture, but there is no one quintessentially “French” style. In France, styles of houses vary from region to region. Our house, like the house I showed you that is up for sale, is what you call a ‘maison de maître’.
Often in the small villages and towns here in Normandy you find a couple of houses similar to this. Inside they are rational and symmetrical.
Smaller in size and in budget is something called a longère normande. Either all stone wall or with wooden beams showing on the outside, the building is long, low and cosy. Typically in these houses the rooms will lead from one into another without a corridor.
Quite often they have a thatched roof, with irises planted along the top of the roof. The roots help keep the thatch in place!
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Occasionally, farms became so big that they are called ‘fermes fortifiées’ – fortified farms. This beautifully restored example isn’t far from us.
If we then go back up the scale in size and budget, the next step above the ‘maisons de maître’ is the ‘manoir’. If the house has beams showing on the outside walls, it’s called ‘un manoir anglo-normand’.
![[blank]](https://91056248.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/maison+normande5737616_1.jpg){kind=link}
These large homes were built to impress, mostly around the turn of the century. The fancy brickwork sometimes got quite ornate. Along the coast at Deauville and Trouville there was real competition to build the biggest and most sophisticated.
They even got excited about chimney stacks!
The home below is still a manoir, not yet a chateau, and slightly more sedate in style.
Then we go up to the real château. You already know this one that belongs to our friends at Emalleville
or Monsieur and Madame de Roumilly’s château at Miserey,
but there are plenty more around here, including this gem, that I am dying to see inside. It’s being beautifully restored, using the best craftsmen in the region. Maybe soon …
Voila, a little architectural tour of this part of the world. I hope you enjoyed it.
28 comments
Ohhh , the buildings are all soooooo beautiful!!!
Don`t know which one I would choose….hmm, think I wouldn`t have enough money for anyone…
Thanks for showing all these, I`ve never been to the Normandy, I think I have to chance this…
All the best,
Sanne
J'adore les maisons typique du sud-ouest. Comment ils s'appellent?
Thank you so much for the lesson in architecture!… I love the photos that you used to illustrate your points… ~Terri
I think "enjoyed" is too mild a term. LOVED it. Oh, I hope you can get inside that last beauty and share with us!
Another seven weeks before we'll come to Normandy, can't wait..
Erna xx
Since just last night we were looking at homes for sale in France, I am very interested !
The idea of planting iris along the roof to keep the thatch in place is so charming and wonderful ..
I love this .. merci~
Just love these homes…my favorite architecture!
All these homes are so pretty, but I just love yours with the vines growing up on it. So pretty.
What a wonderful adventure .. Merci Mon ami… HHL
I am with Kim I like yous with your vines growing and hugging the house. olive
oh so beautiful! i loved the tour…
beautiful…thanks so much for the tour…
I absolutely loved this post. I am a big fan of the manoir, but the chateaux are beautiful too (forgive me if my plurals are incorrect!).
Loved the tour. They are all beautiful!
That was wonderful Sharon, Thank you!!!
Wonderful Sharon. Love those iris at the top of the thatched rooF! Merci! Trish
Beautiful!! Makes me wish I still lived in the country!!
I enjoyed it so much! Denny and me are totally in love (as you know) with Normandie and we love its buildings, they're so charming and some of them recall to our minds fairytales castles!
Our biggest dream is to buy a little property in Normandy but I think that will remain a dream but, who knows??!
Hugs,
Fra
Beautiful post. I am just home from a holiday in Normandie and I enjoined the tour so much!!!
Thanks 🙂
Oh my goodness!! Oh yes I enjoyed this tour! Maisons de Maître are my favorite style of houses! Your house is just gorgeous!!!
Thanks for this very wonderful tour!!
Have a nice weekend!
xx
Greet
Absolutely stunning…..WOW!!!!
🙂
I know I'll see so many beautiful houses during my trip! I'LL BE BACK HOME WITH SO MANY PICS!!!HOW IS THE WEATHER?
lol
I really hope to meet you!
Gaia
stunning photos! i love the irises planted along the ridge of hte thatch, i noticed that last year when i was over there. so cool
J'adore tout le chose Francaise. I've really enjoyed seeing all the lovely homes in Normandy. Thanks for sharing them with us.
thank you so much. I love the photos and the lesson. The architecture is so completely different from ours down here in the south. If we had thatched roofs, we'd go up in flames in a heartbeat. You've inspired me. I need to go on an explore and take photos of our versions of these same homes.
Hi what a wonderful collection of houses MOst enjoyable Fay x
Wow! I just found your blog and am completely enchanted by all things French. I believe I'll be spending quite a bit of time wandering around your various posts. 🙂 Hello from Texas!
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