A 17th-Century Water Mill Turned Country House on 20 Acres, One Hour From Paris, Asks €1,290,000
Beds: 7 Baths: 3 Interior: 450 m² / 4,844 ft² Land: 8 ha / 20 acres
Amenities: Guest cottage, workshop, storeroom, horse stables, two-car garage, pond, streams, woodland, two meadows, lawns, former walled vegetable garden, horse shelter, retained waterwheel, original river-fed channel
A former 17th-century water mill surrounded by woodland, meadows, and waterways in the Vexin region has come to market with Patrice Besse Immobilier for €1.29 million.
The estate is set on 8 hectares / 20 acres of woodland, pasture, ponds, and waterways, with about 450 m² / 4,844 ft² of interior space and 7 bedrooms. It’s located within a rural hamlet about one hour from Paris, making it less a remote country retreat within reach of the city.
The mill’s known history reaches back to at least 1718, when it was used to process grain from the surrounding fields. In the late 19th century, the same water power was adapted for the manufacture of small household objects and mother-of-pearl buttons. Its industrial use ended in the 1930s, after which the building became a full-time residence, and later converted into a holiday home in the 1970s.
Wrapped in Virginia creeper, the old stone mill still has water running beside it, just as it would have when the wheel was used to power the building. The original wheel remains in place along one wall.
Inside, terracotta floors, exposed beams, pointed ashlar stone, parquet, sisal, and visible timber framing give the interiors a clear sense of age. One of the most distinctive surviving details is the former mill mechanism, with the axle and pinion preserved within the house.
The layout is arranged over three levels. The ground floor contains the main reception spaces, a foyer, kitchen, and garden access. The first floor includes 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, with one large room currently used as a library. There are 4 additional bedrooms beneath the eaves, where elements of the original timber frame remain visible.
Outbuildings include a single-storey stone guest cottage opposite the mill, a workshop, storeroom, and horse stables, and there’s also a separate brick garage near the woods with parking for two vehicles.
The grounds feature two large meadows, woodland, lawns, streams, a large pond, a former walled vegetable garden, and a horse shelter. The setting is private and pastoral, bordered by farmland and groves of trees, with no visible modern infrastructure interrupting the surrounding countryside.
All photographs belong to the listing agency. See more on Patrice Besse.