Nord Pas de Calais Farmhouses

Nord Pas de Calais farmhouses were foremost built as traditional farm dwellings and then converted into homes. In this French region rural farmhouses are different from urban ones in terms of architecture.

These rural French properties are clearly distinct from other farmhouses in the area by the fact that the courtyard is completely closed and thus the house itself is not visible from the outside.

These farmhouses generally have a courtyard and outbuildings like barns, stables, cowshed. The outbuildings are living proof of their agricultural usage in the past.

Bricks are used to build urban farmhouses in Nord Pas de Calais, and they are often less large than the rural ones. Many dwellings referred to as farmhouses in the Nord Pas de Calais region do not have a closed courtyard. Sometimes the massive porch with its wide entrance gate also serves as a Pigeonnier, originally it was a sign of wealth and power.

The use of bricks is obviously typical of the Nord Pas de Calais area. When it comes to farmhouses, bricks are used only along windows or doors as well as on the lower part of the walls, over which a stone structure is added. On the roof classic flat tiles are used.

Sometimes a cellar and wine warehouse accompany the house. The roofs are often steeply pitched due to the coastal climate, as much as 45 degrees in some parts.

Brick farmhouses are also common in the eastern and southern parts of the neighbouring Upper Normandy region. The Nord Pas de Calais farmhouse displayed on the picture above is typical of the regional style: bricks form the base of the wall and there is stone above, bricks then being used to decorate only. The roof tiles are flat and the general appearance of the traditional property is pretty elegant.

• Find a Nord Pas de Calais Farmhouse Now!

• Summary of Nord Pas de Calais Traditional Houses and Architecture