Country house in Allier, France

Les Houllins details

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Les Houllins Gite

View of the gite across the pond

Private terrace with a barbecue

Another view of the terrace

View of the gite across the courtyard

Home description

This holiday home is set in a wonderful quiet location with great views over the surrounding countryside. There is only one enormous bedroom plus a caravan. It is ideal for a couple but it can sleep up to 4 people. It is also ideal for autumn, and early spring holidays as it has double glazing and a wood burning stove that keeps the whole house warm and cosy.

It is ideally located for the F1 circuit of Magny-Cours which is only 30 minutes away.

Dogs are welcome provided they are not allowed to sleep in the house.  We have a special 'dog house' for pets. The inside of the house is a no smoking zone.

Accommodation detail

Large open plan living room

Kitchen

Enormous bedroom with large windows

Dining area

Enormous bedroom with ensuite bathroom

Bathroom with bath & shower

Bathroom with washbasin

Toilet

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We have converted this gite from part of a barn, retaining all the original features and as far as possible using traditional materials. It is set in 2 hectares (5 acres) of meadow with only the owners on the same site. The owners’ house is on the opposite side of the large courtyard making the gite very secluded and private. Access is from a lane leading off a quiet road and you can walk for miles without having to do more than cross a tarmac road.

The accommodation comprises

• Large open plan living room of 55m² with a corner kitchen and fireplace.
• Kitchen is fitted with a dishwasher, washing machine, and refrigerator, plenty of cupboard space and of course, oven and gas hobs with extractor fan.

Upstairs

• One enormous bedroom of 50m² with large windows and a balconette. The bed is 2 metres long by 1m60cms wide (Queen size).
• En suite bathroom and toilet

There are beams everywhere but plenty of headroom even for tall people.

Outside:

Outside there is a private terrace with a barbecue. The terrace faces south-west and gets the sun all afternoon and evening and provides superb views of the sunsets. There are also lots of other areas you can sit, which catch the full sun in the morning, so you can have your breakfast al fresco. If it too hot to sit in the sun there are plenty of shaded areas. There is a large pond well stocked with local carp with a caravan set on the edge which makes an ideal second bedroom for children or a couple. There is also a large area of grass for playing games, a large covered area, and a badminton kit is available. You can amuse yourselves with boules (pétanque) in the graveled courtyard or even in the covered area if you should be unlucky enough to get some rain during your stay. You can play darts in the barn and 2 adult size bicycles are provided free of charge.

We aim to provide a haven of peace and tranquility and for this reason have not provided a television or a telephone land line. There is, however, a radio, tape and CD player.

Les Houllins is set in 2 hectares (5 acres) of garden and meadow with natural uncut hedgerows and many trees. This means that there is an abundance of wildllife and particulary birds.  We have left partially dead mirabelle trees deliberately to attract woodpeckers of which we have several varieties.  The large pond is full of fish which encourage kingfishers and herons.  There is also an abundance of frogs.

Mosquitoes and midges are never a problem as the fish and frogs eat most of the larvae and those that survive are quickly gobbled up by the frogs, swallows and bats.

Around Les Houllins there are miles of lanes and small roads with rarely more than the occasional tractor for walking, cycling (we provide free bicycles) and jogging (if you are that energetic).  The area is also full of small and large oak forests providing an ideal habitat for wild deer, boar, badgers and birds.  In the autumn the forests are  full of wild mushrooms, particularly Ceps.

We are excellently placed if you are considering purchasing a house in France and we can introduce you to local English speaking Estate Agents and give you advice on purchasing in France from our own lengthy experience.

About the location

Les Houllins is situated in very quiet countryside about 2 kms from the small village of Pouzy-Mésangy where there is a bar. You can drive for miles in the surrounding area with virtually no other cars on the road. In fact you are more likely to meet a tractor than a car. The nearest market town is Lurcy-Lévis at 7 kms which has a market every Monday. It also has a supermarket, banks, and all the other essential shops and services including a tourist office, a museum, a chateau, cycle track, and tennis courts.

The lovely spa town of Bourbon l'Archambault, former seat of the Bourbon Kings  is 16 kms and this has many hotels, restaurants, a cinema, tennis courts, etc.

There are several local country restaurants witnin walking/cycling distance which all do excellent 4 course lunches for around 11 to 13 euros a head, some including wine. 

Other towns include Moulins, Montlucon, Sancoins with a large market every Wednesday, Bourges, Nevers, and the lovely village of Apremont on the river Allier. 

Swimming is available Bourbon l'Archambault - open air pool, Moulins - indoor pool, and in several local lakes with sandy beaches. Golf is available at Magny-Cours, Nassigny, Sancerre, Moulins, Les Volcans, and many other parts of the area.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and facilities.

Activities near by

Bird Watching, Boating, Boules, Canoeing, Ceramics, Cycling, Drawing and painting, Fishing, French tuition, Golf, Gourmet dining, Hiking, Horse riding, Mountain biking, Photography, Rambling, Riverside activities, Sailing, Shopping, Sightseeing, Spa, Swimming, Table tennis, Tennis, Theme parks, Walking, Wind Surfing, Wine tasting

See Activities and attractions for more information on nearby activities and places of interest.

How to get here

We are only 6 hours maximum from the channel ports of Calais, Boulogne, Dunkirk and Le Havre by car. Unfortunately, Speedferries which provided the cheapest and fastest crossings by sea have gone out of business.  Norfolk Line from Dover to Dunkirk takes 2 hours but has excellent new boats and is normally the cheapest.

Please contact the owner for full directions.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and airports.