Roanne, Rhône 42300

Near Roanne, a masters house and its tower. Marking the entrance of the former estate, now subdivided into parcels, stone pillars frame access paths to the different properties, including the bourgeois house, which sits on private, tree-lined grounds of more than 2,300 m². This residence, situated at the center of the lot and enhanced by its prestigious tower in the background, reveals to visitors a grand façade with timber framing. On the left, the old outbuilding, now an independent dwelling, extends in line and with no overlooking. Large trees and grassy expanses recall the rich past of the original park. Turn by turn, the property belonged to a banana importer family and later to industrialists who made their fortune in hosiery; the dwelling, built over three levels on a basement of vaulted cellars, presumably dates to the first generation of residential homes erected as the territory began to evolve beyond its agricultural vocation. It was later expanded with two side pavilions and adorned with a feudal architectural feature: the tower, intended to impress, to be seen, and to be seen.