Country house in Lot-et-Garonne, France

Les Cédres details

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Les Tamaris, view from pool

Rear of Les Cèdres overlooking lake

Lake view

View from Les Tamaris

Home description

Welcome to our two charming, C18th country houses: Les Cedres a small manor house sleeping 10 & Les Tamaris, an airy cottage , Set in a peaceful hillside location,  amidst 40 acres of woods, fields and landscaped gardens, the houses look out over a beautiful lake valley. This is a very calm, rural setting far removed from the stresses and strains of urban life and with little to disturb the tranquillity or pollute the environment. 

The free-form swimming pool has pretty landscaping and is in a perfect setting with views across the valley. It is child-proof with hedging, fencing and security gates. 

In addition to enjoying the swimming pool, there are table-tennis, table-football and large and small pool tables in the barn adjacent to the house. A path leads down to the lake below, where you can fish for wild carp, or simply walk and explore the surrounding countryside.

 You might of course prefer simply to relax in the sun, with a good book, and a glass of chilled rose. 

Situated between Bordeaux and Toulouse and just 20 minutes from Agen in the Lot and Garonne, Les  Cedres is easily accessible by train, plane or car. It is located just outside the Medieval village of Saint Maurin,  2 minutes away by car or an enjoyable walk.  At the centre of the village are the remains of an important C12th Abbey, a very lovely open, oak-beamed, medieval market square and a café/restaurant. Additionally, the village has a well stocked local shop selling fresh bread, milk and most essential requirement, a post office and there is a weekly visit from a travelling butcher. 

Wednesday nights throughout July and August, Saint-Maurin hosts a night market, where you can choose from a variety of local food products, which can be eaten in a convivial atmosphere at long trestle tables - drinking and dancing go on until late to music from local musicians.

Accommodation detail

Rear of Les Cèdres overlooking lake

Les Cèdres terrace

Living room

Double bedroom

Les Cèdres in Spring

Les Cèdres bedroom

Les Cèdres kitchen

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The house, sleeping 10 in 4 large bedrooms, has most of it’s accommodation on the ground floor and has been sympathetically restored, using traditional materials. A large entrance hall opens onto a striking living room with stone walls, large oak-beams and terracotta tiles. The rooms are large and well proportioned with tiled or wooden floors, furnished with a mixture of antique country furniture and more modern touches to add comfort and colour.

Ground Floor

The front door opens onto a large Hallway from which you can access:

• Comfortable living room: 2 settees / large dining table and chairs /radio-dvd player and board games
• Kitchen: cooker, fridge-freezer / dishwasher / washing machine / micro-wave, table and chairs + utility/storage room
• Private walled terrace: French doors open from the kitchen onto a private walled terrace with covered dining area seating 10 and large Barbecue
• Bedroom 1: master bedroom with double bed, large armoire, lake views
• Bedroom 2: 2nd master bedroom with double bed, wash-handbasin, large armoire, lake views
• Bedroom 3: 3 single beds, wash-handbasin, large armoire
• Bathroom with bath, shower and bidet
• 2 independent WCs

Lower Ground

The lower ground floor has access from inside plus independent access from the rear of the house.

• Bedroom 4: 3 single beds, washbasin/vanity unit, fitted wardrobe
• Shower room with WC

About the location

Hameau de Fouyssac sits 1.2km above the small village of St-Maurin with its 12th century Abbey. Throughout the summer, 'Café de L'Abbaye' in the heart of the village holds weekly food and music evenings, where all generations mix, dining and dancing in the open-air, in the oak-beamed medieval market place. The friendly local village shop sells fresh bread and caters for most essential needs.

This is a hospitable region, on the borders of the Lot & Garonne and the Tarn & Garonne and home to many well-known Bastide towns and villages. The landscape is perfect for peaceful out-of season walking and fishing holidays, with riding, golf, tennis and many other pursuits within easy reach.

20 minutes from Agen (capital of Aquitaine) & Moissac, one hour from the beautiful city of Toulouse, one hour from Bergerac and under two hours to Bordeaux and Carcassonne, it is an area with a rich local culture and history.

The local area is steeped in history. Dotted with the many fortified bastide towns and villages such as Lauzerte, Montcuq, Penne d'Agenais and Villeneuve–sur-Lot built by such renowned figures as Richard the Lionheart, it is the cradle of Henry IV of France.

The landscape is one of contrasts. Nearer to Cahors, with its bustling Saturday market & famous Valentre bridge, the rolling hills give way to a more stony and rugged landscape. From here you can follow the Lot river to Figeac. En route, is St-Cirq-Lapopie, a stunning medieval village, perched on the side of a rocky outcrop and one of the most beautiful villages in France. The dramatic Aveyron Gorges are not far away nor are the caves at Lascaux with their pre-historic paintings.

The food - This area is often referred to as the Garden of France, with many producers large and small offering an abundance of delicious local products. There are cheeses, mushrooms and truffles; duck and meat products; local wines and spirits; plums, melons, apricots, tomatoes and many other fruit and vegetables which grow so abundantly here. Enjoy exploring and shopping in the colourful weekly markets in the centres of Cahors / Valence d'Agen / Villeneuve sur Lot and Moissac or in the small local farmer's markets, often advertised at the entrance to villages. You can really taste the freshness and flavour in the food, so sorely lacking in much of the produce on sale in the UK.

Shopping - You can buy your essentials in St-Maurin or Bourg-de-Visa (8kms). There are numerous large supermarkets and out-of-town shopping on the outskirts of Agen and other towns in the area.

Eating out - You can enjoy eating out at all levels. From small local cafes offering cheap but wholesome regional dishes to the Michelin starred restaurant at Puymirol, ten minutes away.

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

Activities near by

Adventure park, Billiards, Bird Watching, Boules, Canoeing, Fishing, Go karting, Golf, Horse riding, Parachuting, Sightseeing, Swimming, Table tennis, Tennis, Theme parks, Tree adventure park, Walking, Wine tasting

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

How to get here

Airports

• 1hr drive: Toulouse (BA, Air France, EasyJet, Flybe) Bergerac (RyanAir, Flybe)
• 1hr 45: Bordeaux (BA, Flybe)
• 2hrs Carcassonne (Ryanair)

Trains

• 4-4.5 hr train journey TGV Paris or Lille to Agen

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