A Modernized 19th-Century Villa in a Historic French Town Listed for €950,000
Known locally as Villa Saint-Martin, the property dates to the late 1800s and reflects the neoclassical architecture characteristic of Vesoul, a small historic town in eastern France’s Haute-Saône department—updated with subtle Art Deco detailing in its recent modernization.
In Vesoul, a small historic town in eastern France’s Haute-Saône department, one of its finest 19th-century residences has come to market with Arrière-Cour Immobilier.
Known locally as Villa Saint-Martin, the property dates to the late 1800s and reflects the neoclassical architecture characteristic of Vesoul’s prosperous industrial era—updated with subtle Art Deco detailing in a recent modernization.
The 330 m² (3,552 ft²) maison de maître occupies an elevated residential area overlooking Vesoul’s center. Originally built for a prominent local figure, it was fully redesigned in 2017 by architects from Besançon, who reworked the interiors for modern living while retaining the building’s classical symmetry and period features.
Across three levels, the ground floor includes formal reception spaces — a living room with fireplace, dining room, billiard room, and study — all connected by an oak staircase typical of late-19th-century construction. The kitchen was refitted with Miele appliances, combining contemporary practicality with understated design. Upstairs are two bedroom suites with en suite bathrooms and dressing rooms, while the top floor provides three additional bedrooms and a cinema room with Dolby sound.
Set on 5,411 m² (1.34 acres) of landscaped grounds, the property includes a heated swimming pool, pool house with summer kitchen, jacuzzi, and bioclimatic pergola. The outbuildings add more than 220 m² (2,368 ft²), including two garages with electric charging stations.
Located within walking distance of Vesoul’s historic center — and about 50 km northeast of Besançon and 90 minutes from Dijon — Villa Saint-Martin offers space, privacy, and architectural character rarely found at this price point.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
€450,000 for a 1771 Château in Eastern France With Preserved Interiors
Carved stone, antique fireplaces, and untouched upper floors define this 1771 château — originally a fortified manor — set in one of France’s last under-the-radar regions for historic estates.
Hidden in the quiet commune of Volon, this 1771 château is more than a home, it’s a time capsule with period details untouched — offered for just €450,000 with Arriere Cour Immobilier.
Originally a fortified manor, it now stands as an evocative six-bedroom estate on over a hectare of land, where sculpted fireplaces and patinated tapestries coexist with untouched rooms and wild, ivy-covered outbuildings.
From the moment you enter, there’s no mistaking the age or integrity of the structure. A stone staircase with a wrought iron railing anchors the entrance, while period doors, cement tiles, and alcoved rooms layer in historic texture. The ground floor is gracefully preserved and flooded with light, while the entire second floor remains undeveloped — a blank slate for families or investors to reimagine without erasing the past.
The grounds are equally transporting. Beyond the gravel terrace and vine-covered farmhouse, the garden reveals a romantic series of vignettes: a boxwood labyrinth, a secret bamboo grove, a lily-covered pond, and mature trees that have stood for centuries. There’s even an orchard and an old vineyard climbing the stone ruins — a dream setting for quiet restoration or intimate events.
Why Haute-Saône Is the Smart Buyer’s Secret
For heritage lovers, artists, or buyers seeking to restore a piece of French history without the Provence price tag, this region offers remarkable value. While many foreigners focus on the Dordogne or the Loire, Haute-Saône is still under the radar, with châteaux under €500,000 and landscapes to rival more saturated areas.
Properties like the Volon château, with untouched upper floors and historic outbuildings, would be triple the price in the southwest or the Riviera. Here, you get the romance of old stone and real privacy — plus proximity to the Swiss border, Besançon, and the Jura mountains.
Volon itself is part of the Pays des Quatre Rivières, a historic and under-discovered region of the Haute-Saône, known for its castles, pilgrimage trails, and slow, countryside rhythm. The village is just 50km from Besançon and 120km from the Swiss border, with Ray-sur-Saône and Champlitte châteaux nearby.
Whether restored as a private residence, creative retreat, or boutique guesthouse, this 18th-century property offers authenticity, seclusion, and rare architectural character at a price point seldom seen.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
1830s Château in Eastern France with 54 Acres Asks Just €750K
English-style parkland, Mont Blanc views, and 7,000+ sq ft of untouched 19th-century elegance—hidden in plain sight in Eastern France.
Tucked into the soft, wooded hills of Haute-Saône—a quietly storied corner of Eastern France that most people skip past on the way to the Alps—this 1830s château doesn’t clamor for attention. It doesn’t need to. With its tree-lined entrance, overgrown romanticism, and timeworn elegance, it has the kind of presence that lingers.
Located just outside Vesoul, a modest but charming town with medieval bones and a strong sense of local life, the château sits at the end of a discreet lane shaded by towering centenarian trees. What unfolds beyond is 54 acres of English-style parkland—not manicured, but intentional. A serene pond mirrors the sky. Meadows roll gently into private forest. Scattered across the grounds, a collection of outbuildings—old stables, storage wings, maybe even a future guesthouse or creative retreat—hints at possibility. It’s less estate, more private ecosystem.
The interiors hold their age like a well-cut coat: classical in layout, with generous proportions and soaring ceilings, but never showy. Across nearly 7,300 square feet, you’ll find 30 rooms, 18 bedrooms, and 6 bathrooms, anchored by intricate moldings, warm woodwork, and original marble fireplaces in rooms that still echo with presence. It’s the kind of property that invites slow restoration—respectful of its origins, yet open to reinterpretation.
This isn’t Provence, and it’s not the Loire. Haute-Saône is a region for those who prefer to find their own way—a place of forests, rivers, and rolling farmland, where life moves with the seasons and neighbors still wave as you pass. From the higher points of the property, you can see Mont Blanc rising on the horizon, a surreal reminder that Switzerland is just a couple of hours away. And while Vesoul offers daily essentials and quiet French charm, cities like Besançon and Basel are both within reach—just far enough to make your return feel like retreat.
For designers, preservationists, or those looking to quietly anchor themselves in something lasting, the château isn’t a statement. It’s a sanctuary. One of those rare places where time bends a little. You don’t just buy a property like this—you step into a lineage.
It’s not trying to be anything. That’s what makes it everything.
All photos belong to the listing agency.