A unique and surprising 19th-century edifice with almost two

The history of this property is closely tied to the history of the Mame family, which left its mark on the city of Tours for around two centuries. Alfred Mame, the grandson of a printing works founder, became the director of the famous printing works Mame in 1845. He had a modern vision for his firm, both in factory design and labour relations, with the creation of a special housing estate for his workers: the Cité Mame. This modern vision ensured his success. As a botany-lover, Alfred Mame bought this estate in 1841 and extended it considerably from 1857 onwards. At the time, French landscape gardening was changing radically. Mame entrusted the landscape gardener Eugène Bühler with the task of transforming the estate. Bühler was known for having designed the Parc du Thabor in the city of Rennes. The project involved creating greenhouses, building caretaker homes and outhouses and embellishing the grounds. The pavilions and stable were completed in 1869. From the road that runs alongside the grounds and woods, you can enter the property via two entrances. A wrought-iron gate with volutes leads onto a driveway that runs across the grounds. And a second gate, framed between two pillars of brick and tuffeau stone, leads into a parking area and to two outbuildings used as a garage, a storeroom and a workshop. A drive winds around the edifice to the central court and its lawn, beyond a few steps. A terrace beneath a glass canopy roof runs alongside the building up to its main