Martel, Midi-Pyrénées 46600

In the north of Lot, within the walls of a medieval city, a family and leisure house dating from the 13th, 17th and 19th centuries and its hanging gardens. On the heights of the causse overlooking the Dordogne valley of Lot, at the gates of the Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park, UNESCO Global Geopark label, Martel is organized around a center with a remarkably well-preserved built heritage. Pedestrian alleys, pale stone houses and small squares form a harmonious ensemble, where shops remain numerous. The town, lively all year round, unfolds at the rhythm of markets showcasing local products and regular cultural events. It offers all the amenities needed for daily life, as well as health services and educational facilities, in an environment among the best preserved in Quercy. Near the Place de la Halle and the Palais de la Raymondie, the house occupies the corner of two streets, one of which allows a tour around the old center, still marked in places by the trace of what was once its protective enclosure. It is along this latter that the residence is situated, with origins dating back to the 13th century, at the time when the city asserted its commercial role and fortified its boundaries. Having become in the 17th century a more comfortable civil dwelling, then reorganized in the 19th century, it today preserves a stratified architecture, a discreet witness to the citys long history. Set on a dominant position, it enjoys generous brightness and open views over the surrounding countryside, perceptible from the windows as well as from the two gardens.