Duplex

Dream of living on the top floor with panoramic views or a private inner courtyard ?

A terrace, top-floor or loft-style duplex ? Or maybe one laid out around a patio… No two duplexes are the same. In urban settings, the majority are found at the top of apartment buildings. In some Haussmann-style buildings, they have been created by combining a 5th floor apartment with a number of former domestic staff rooms on the 6th to create balconies and amazing views of the city. But the great advantage of a duplex is that it can be many different things: a duplex loft in a former factory in Orléans, a converted former wine store in Saint-Pierre d’Oléron, a townhouse in Dijon… The duplex and its typical interior staircase attracts families looking for more private spaces (because the living spaces are well separated from the bedrooms), couples in love with exceptional living spaces, and artists who find that a duplex gives them the space they need for their practice. A duplex apartment also combines the benefits of urban life with the pleasure of living in a house. It means more independence, more privacy and more space.

If you’re attracted to a top-floor duplex, remember to check the ceiling heights of the upper floor. Although exposed timbers add undeniable cachet to a property, real ingenuity can sometimes be required to arrange the space effectively.