Property for sale Pont du Bois, Haute Saone, France

by Tony Cole
(Cebu, Philippines)

Large stone built family home in Haute Saone, on the border with the Vosges, with 9.8 ares land.

The house is the largest in a row of three houses, beside the Canal de L’Est in a very picturesque part of the Haute Saone.

At this moment, the house between our house and the canal is a holiday home for a French family, and the house on the other side has been empty for some time.

The roof and walls (50 cms thick stone walls) are all in excellent condition and main services are connected.

There is a large garden both in front and behind the house, which is currently somewhat wild, but with a bit of TLC would become a very pleasant garden. In the front garden there is a magnificent walnut tree that has more walnuts every year than you could possibly manage to eat… So it would be a case of drying them, bottling them, sending them to your friends abroad……

All the rooms in the house are spacious and light, even the ones in the attic. Some of the colour schemes are a bit wild, as the previous owner was a house painter with a high degree of fantasy, as you will see from the photos.

The house has a large cellar area, made up of four rooms, two of which are in good repair, the other two need clearing out but are basically in good condition. And generally remain reasonably dry.

On the ground floor there is a kitchen, a bath room a sitting room and a garage (the recently installed oil fired central heating boiler and oil tank are also in the garage.

The first floor consists of four more or less identical rooms, all in reasonable condition.

The top floor has one room that is finished, two that are nearly finished, and one that needs to be cleaned up and plaster boarded to make it useful.

Also, parts of the roof still need to be insulated.

Whilst it is near the village of Pont du Bois, this village is a rather invisible one, so one could say this house is completely rural. The nearest shops are in the relatively nearby town of Vauvillers (about 7 or 8 km away). Other nearby larger towns are St Loup sur Semouse – about 15 km or Epinal in the Vosges, a large town of some 100 000 inhabitants, which is 40 km from this house.

Epinal is also the best point for making connections to the TGV to Paris.

There are motor ways within easy reach both to the east and west of the house. The main North South motorways E21 and E27 are each about 40 km from the house, along good provincial roads.


If you want to know more, please email me and I shall do my best to answer your questions.

Asking price 99 000 Euros.

Contact me: Tony Cole.
Email: tcole@digitalclouds.com

House for sale Unique opportunity

It may not be situated in a part of France you have heard about like the Dordogne, but it is situated in an area that has highlights worth noting, attractions perhaps you have not thought about:

· Easy access to Paris
· Proximity to famous wine growing regions – notably Champagne and the Alsace

· It may not be south, but the climate is hot in the summer, snow in the winter. Yes, it does rain, but that means the surrounding countryside is lush.

The house is water tight!
· For country lovers – it has everything to offer. Wonderful walks through ancient deciduous forests. A wide variety of flora and fauna. Close to water sources – did you know that the farmlands surrounding Vittel (a well-known source water) is protected against the use of chemicals

· The four seasons are spectacular – you have to see them for yourself…the colours….

· Game – either for watching or for hunting – mainly wild boar and a variety of deer

· For shoppers / city lovers….well, this house probably isn’t for you. However, there are easy drives to interesting cities – Nancy, Strasbourg and Basel for starters.

· For ‘explorers’ – take a boat along the Canal d’Est, horse riding, skiing / langlaufen nearby in the winter months, typical restaurants and bars in different settings.

· For historians – it is an area that is rich, from the middle ages through to the world wars.

· An unusual plus – the locals welcome ‘outsiders’
· Visiting elsewhere – it’s a hop, skip and a jump to visit some other European countries: Netherlands, Belgium (home of superb homemade chocolate and beer that beats all), Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Quite a choice!

· A car – is essential, but hiring is not difficult and there are some good deals to be had. Road connections are good, as are the trains, including the TGV.

The House – as a holiday home, a family/friends’ base for reunions – is it viable.
· Investment – this house was built to last, and it is in an area that is opening up especially with access to the TGV. The Dutch love this area, it’s not so far from the Netherlands.

· It is solidly built, typically with thick walls and a well-constructed roof – you can lock the door and leave.

· There is a cellar, which means in local terms, the house is protected from damp. A suitable place for your wine collection.

· You’ll need to furnish it – lots of options for this, from ‘attic/barn sales (2nd hand) to Ikea at (?)

· Central heating in installed, but we would recommend old fashioned stoves to create atmosphere in the winter.