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Small barn, in stone on two floors
Garden machinery stored above
Wood and reclaimed building materials stored below
Stone metato (formerly the chestnut roasting house)
Used for garden paraphenalia and storage
Pizza oven:
Original stone building with a 19 loaf terracotta oven installed in 1994.
Wood shed:
Stone built in 2004, using traditional methods and reclaimed canaletti tiles. There is a wooden swing in one of the arches for sunny winter afternoons.
An infinity edge pool, which was built in 1992 with a Jetstream counter current for exercise. There is an electric powered, terracotta coloured cover, which rolls up underground at one end and which retains the heat in the colder periods. The pool pavement is in hand made terracotta and the pool banks have been planted to give colour year round.
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There is parking for three cars under a wisteria covered pergola and ample further parking.
There are ten acres of acacia, oak and chestnut woods, olive terraces and fruit trees. Around the house and swimming pool there is a mature garden, planted in harmony with the available rain, but with a computer controlled watering system to assist. At the entrance to the house there is a stone aia shaded by fig trees, two of which support a double hammock in the summer.
40 photovoltaic panels, out of view on the terraces below the house, will provide more than 11,000kw per annum of electricity. They are in the process of being installed and will be connected to the grid by a two way meter. They are subject to a Government incentive up to 2029.
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Services
Mains water comes from a spring high in the Apennines, which feeds a storage
tank at the top of the village. The ring main around the village was renewed
with polyethylene pipes in about 1996, so there is excellent water pressure
in the house and we have never run out of water.
GPL gas is delivered and stored in a 1,750 litre tank, below the drive and
out of view.
The electricity supply is 3-phase, 15kw. There is a comprehensive system of
lightning conductors and circuit breakers and a diesel powered generator as
a last resort.
Staff
There is an English gardener and two local sisters, who clean the house and
iron. It would be possible to arrange for the house to be managed, if the
buyer did not live here full time. A local English speaking lady can provide
a taxi service from Pisa airport.
Sale includes
Our home is being sold with any and all machinery, equipment (except chain
saws), appliances and curtains.
Magnificent unspoiled view to the south and south west, down
to the Serchio Valley and over the Apuane mountains, part
of which is a national park. 40 minutes from Lucca,
One hour from Pisa Airport.
Close to a village, but at the end of a road and so both quiet and safe. Views on all sides, but protected from the north wind.
Above the mosquito line. One hour drive to the ski resort of Abetone.
