Sleeps | 2 |
Bedrooms | 1 |
Bathrooms | 1 |
Property type | cottage |
Minimum Stay | 2 nights |
A delightful, tranquil single double bedroom totally refurbished gite with private use of heated swimming pool and terrace. Situated in the heart of south west France close to the Charante/Dordogne border this gite offers living room/kitchen, double bedroom with luxury bed and lovely views through the kiwi fruit vines and an en-suite bathroom with underfloor heating. There is a separate laundry room with washing machine and space to store golf clubs, riding gear etc etc. TV and wifi with English and international channels. Sorry but this is a child free zone but a small well behaved dog may be considered.
Through the living room and through the french doors, there is a totally private decked terrace and garden area with barbecue for al fresco dining and relaxing.
Ample secure parking for cars and campers and space in our barn for motorcycles and bicycles.
All quality linen, towels etc are supplied, together with a comprehensive welcome pack.
The heated pool is only 10 paces away from the decked terrace and has its own terrace. Loungers are supplied but do bring your sun tan lotions, it gets very hot on the terrace in the spring, summer and early autumn.
Le Mas is a small friendly hamlet situated close (about 15 mins) to the wonderful town of La Rochefoucauld with its chateau built in the 11th and 17th century. In the town you will find all the amenities including restaurants, cafes, shops (including 2 large supermarkets) weekly markets and throughout July and August free live concerts every Saturday night in the 12th century convent cloisters. Everything from Jazz, blues, rock, folk and classical is usually on offer entirely free of charge.
From La Rochefoucauld you can travel by train to almost anywhere in France.
Situated in one of the most renowned gastronomic areas of France it is not surprising to find a number of fine dining restaurants in beautiful rural locations throughout the region yet within easy access to the gite but for those who just fancy something simple and convenient, pizzas and burgers etc are equally available. Chez Steph's burgers and pizzas in La Rochefoucauld are a must!
Angouleme, the capital of the Charente is only 30 minutes away and boasts a host of restaurants, boutiques, museums, sports facilities including ice skating (superb during the 35+ degree summer of this year), sailing, golf, and just about everything else you can thjnk of. Of particular note is the cartoon festival in February and for you petrol heads the circuit de ramparts is not to be missed. Cars of all types from early Bugatti to late model Ferrari they come to Angouleme from all over the world to race round the ramparts during the 3rd weekend in September.
Angouleme can be accessed by car down the N141, by train from La Rochefoucauld or by bus from Montbron, only 10 minutes away, for the amazing cost of 1euro return!
By car, Bordeax is 2 hours, Bergerac appx 2 hours, Limoges appx 1 hour and to reach us by car from either of the UK ferry ports or the tunnel it is about 7 hours.
In Le Mas there are 2 riding centres offering tuition, and hacking round the beautiful countryside. Please enquire when booking for reservations.
12 Minutes away from Le Mas through country roads is one of the reasons we live here namely La Preze International golf course. Maggie and I have played golf in many countries but the restaurant at La Preze takes some beating! There are 2 courses, the international championship course and the 18 hole par 3 (not as easy as it looks). OK La Preze is not the most manicured course in the world but with temperatures of over 30 degrees for 8 consecutive weeks there are obvious challenges, but the layout, the tranquility, the welcome and the challenge of a course where no 2 holes are the same, is a joy to experience.
If you have an eye for nature on the way round, in the spring and early summer you can see coypu, hoopoe, cuckoo, kite, osprey, and deer. As a single handicapper (going on 28!) at St Mellion International, it took Maggie and I a long time touring France to find a course that we could play over and over again without becoming bored and that continued to inspire, well for us La Preze ticks all the boxes.
If golf and horse riding are not your thing then cycling and walking in superb surroundings may be your thing, but beware of the traffic, on average about 10 cars a day pass the house!
For those interested in modern history, Chasseneuil has Le mémorial de la Résistance de Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure en Charente, - The memorial to the Resistance - and it is worth visiting although sobering. Continuing on this theme although even more harrowing, 40 minutes away is the remains of the town of Oradour sur Glane where, on June 10th 1944 the Wafen SS murdered 642 townsfolk and destroyed the town. This tragedy so appalled the French that General Charles de Gaulle declared that the town should remain as the Waffen SS left it as a reminder of the mindlessness of war.
If none of the above appeal then just sit, swim, indulge, chill and relax. It's your holiday so enjoy it your way.
This HomeAway partner has demonstrated and is committed to fast response times, the best rates, and a great guest experience.
For me it had to be the gardens and private heated pool that made a fabulous and relaxing 2 week holiday. Maggie and Alan looked after us extremely well, nothing was too much trouble. The gite is not far from the towns of Montbron and La Rochefoucauld, and there are plenty of other places to visit in the area - Cognac, Jarnac, Rochechouart, Chabanais (husband's favourite) to name but a few. We would definitely recommend this property and hope to return in the not too distant future.
Alan and Maggie excellent host made our stay fun and pleasurable, gite very well equipt with everything you need for a holiday! Maggie makes a mean home made quiche! Nice swimming in the pool, we had the pool all to ourselves! Pure luxury, would highly recommend!
The gite was perfect. A very high standard of accommodation throughout in a beautiful and peaceful setting. The pool was a delight and ideal for relaxation. The local area was lovely, with all that was needed and not far from Angouleme for an interesting visit. Alan and Maggie were very helpful and lovely to chat to.
We have holidayed in France pretty much every year for the last decade and this was, (by far) the nicest gîte that we've ever stayed in.
The property was immaculate, spotlessly clean and the huge pool was an absolute dream. We swam every day and even late at night which was truly special.
The gîte was fully equipped and finding 'provisions' in the kitchen upon arrival enabled us to relax immediately with a glass of wine - deeply appreciated after the 8 hour drive from Calais.
What really stood out for us, were all the little extra things that were provided that we wouldn't normally expect with holiday rental; charcoal and firelighters for the BBQ, our bedding was changed after the first week, plenty of kitchen and loo roll, lots of surprises in the fridge upon arrival, washing machine tabs and washing up liquid. All little things that add up and make a holiday more relaxing.
Location was fantastic and there's plenty to see nearby. Highlights were; the beautiful village of Talmont-sur-Gironde near Royan on the coast, Cognac, Brantôme and the amazing subterranean church at
Aubeterre-sur-Dronne.
Maggie & Alan made us and our little dog Woodie, feel totally relaxed and welcome. Their useful advice and warmth will encourage us to return in the future. We would not hesitate to recommend this lovely gîte to anybody - it's perfect.
A real 'Get Away From It All' well appointed gite situated in a delightful hamlet with welcoming, knowledgeable & helpful hosts. The pool is a real plus set in a gorgeous garden, hard to drag ourselves away to explore the local area but we did manage it venturing into La Rochefoucald and Angouleme, both worth visiting. There are Chateaus a many to explore in the local area.
We can highly recommend this gem situated in the heart of the Charente.
This was a wonderful gite, beautifully furnished internally with charm and style. Everything has been thought of to make a relaxing stay. The outside area was also excellent - comfortable lounge furniture and barbeque together with pretty gardens and of course the superb pool.
Maggie and Alan were excellent hosts and made us feel like welcome guests.
We had a fantastic stay and would have no hesitation in recommending this gite to anyone.
When trying to find us look for the house name HAWDDGAR on the wall
Fees | No additional mandatory fees |
Diving into the pool is not allowed. All breakages must be paid for on a cost of replacement basis.