Fancy a new year project? On the site of an old Roman fortress on a hilltop in the central French village of Marigny-Marmande, is a strange, sprawling property comprising a large house plus numerous outbuildings including five barns, a pigeonnier, hay lofts, turreted towers, some medieval ruins and a network of underground rooms and swimming pool set in almost five acres of established truffle oak orchard, fruit orchard and vegetable garden.

Photograph: Leggett