Gite for Two with Pool and All Weather Garden Room

La Vieille Grange details

Home description

La Vieille Grange is different in many ways, in offering the best of both worlds all year round in its facilities, its location and in the atmosphere the owners strive to create.

A quality conversion of an old wine producing barn the gite offers privacy, relaxation, views, a large 4 x 6 metre all weather and all year (heated) garden room / terrace, an acre of garden, an 11 x 5 metre swimming pool and all mod cons internally, but at a value-for-money price.

Located in countryside, surrounded by vineyards and rolling Charente Maritime countryside but within 10 minutes of the Gironde estuary and quiet marinas, it is within 30 minutes of a nice beach with lots of lovely local places to visit and with easy access to the life of Bordeaux, La Rochelle or even onwards to Biarritz and Spain. The gite is also available for Twin Centre "town and country" holidays with the owners' studios in La Rochelle.

The gite is specifically designed around the needs of couples (or 2 friends !) and the owners Martin and Christopher take pride in welcoming and respecting the diversity of their guests, regardless of background.

External features on site

• Barbecue
• Garden
• Scenic views
• Swimming pool (shared use)

• Your own large 4 x 6 metre private garden room / terrace with triple, full width sliding patio doors (double glazed), equipped with choice of furniture : sofa, easy chair, teak steamer style chairs and teak deckchairs plus dining table and chairs and stylish gas radiator when needed.
• Free panoramic views across the pool, garden and across the valley beyond to the church on the hill !
• a wide range of garden and pool furniture incl teak sun loungers, garden chairs, deck chairs, parasols and tables.
• Barbecue
• 2 Bikes
• Use of 11m x 5m swimming pool with depth from approx 1m at shallow end to approx 4m at deep end. The pool is open from May to October as the weather permits, as it's unheated. Includes under pool illumination at night for those nocturnal cocktails and star gazing on your terrace.
• Use of garden - approx. 1 acre - incl. boules pit
• The pool and garden are shared only with the owners and from time to time their guests.
• Yours is the only gite, and normally you will have the pool entirely to yourselves most of the time !

Accommodation detail

Ground Floor :

• Kitchen/dining room modern and fully equipped incl full sized oven, ceramic hob, breakfast bar, dishwasher, washing machine, fridge/freezer, microwave, dining table/chairs and direct dial telephone.
• Living room with Godin log burner, TV/video with English (BBC, ITV, Film4 etc) and French TV channels, DVD player, sofa and easy chair.
• Bathroom (bath with wall mounted shower attachment).
• Separate WC

Entrance hall, with spiral staircase up to

First Floor :

In the converted grenier/loft, 2 large bedrooms (each approx 6mx3m / 18ftx9ft into the eaves):

• Main double bedroom for 2 people, with French windows with views across countryside towards the estuary (and the sunsets !)
• Mezzanine double bedroom for additional 2 people (see below), leading to main bedroom

The gite has been designed principally to provide year-round, spacious and well equipped accommodation for 2 people. However, the additional mezzanine double bedroom is also available if you want to invite friends to join you.

A complimentary Welcome Pack will be waiting for you - with provisions and refreshments - including a complimentary bottle of wine for you to celebrate the start of your holiday !

Whilst the gite is attached to the owners' house, it is completely self contained as is its terrace/garden room.

The owners are ashamed to say that some of the internal doors, even on the ground floor, are too narrow for wheelchairs to get through. Otherwise, the ground floor facilities are quite accessible for people with mobility difficulties.

About the location

The property is close enough to UK to be easy to get to, but far enough away to be warmer (and not to be in the UK!) The area is the second sunniest in France, after the Cote d'Azur - but without their prices or crowds!

Situated in the beautiful Charente Maritime ("land & sea : the elements of success"), but in the south of it (where the countryside is more interesting/undulating) and within easy striking distance of the Aquitaine/Gironde, including the Medoc.

In the middle of the countryside (surrounded by vines and sunflowers) but within 10 minutes of the Gironde Estuary and within 30 minutes of the nearest beach.

The property is in a small hamlet of about 12 houses and a farm, but within 10 minutes of the nearest small town (Mirambeau) and 20 minutes of a larger one (Jonzac).

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

Activities nearby

Bird Watching, Boules, Cycling, Fishing, Horse riding, Shopping, Sightseeing, Swimming, Walking, Wine tasting

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

How to get here

There are 3 main ways of travelling to La Vieille Grange:

By Ferry and Road:

• Whilst there are numerous ferry routes and operators, the owners find the easiest from the UK to be Brittany Ferries Portsmouth-St.Malo (4 hours drive away), or Portsmouth-Caen (5 hrs). If you live in the south west of England, their Plymouth-Roscoff (5 ½ hrs) and Poole-Cherbourg (5 ¾ hrs)routes are further alternatives.
• High speed services operate from Portsmouth to Caen & Cherbourg (Brittany Ferries) and from Poole, Weymouth & Jersey to St.Malo (Condor).
• Or of course there's the Channel Tunnel to Calais (6 ½ hrs away). with autoroutes almost all the way (avoiding Paris!)
• From Ireland, Brittany Ferries go from Cork to Roscoff (March - October), and Irish Ferries go from Rosslare to Cherbourg (all year) and Roscoff (May - September)

By Air:

• Direct flights to La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Poitiers or Nantes are available from many airports across the UK and Ireland including : Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, London (Stansted, Gatwick & Luton), Manchester, Nottingham, Shannon and Southampton.

By Rail:

• From UK by Channel Tunnel from London to Paris then TGV to Angouleme or Bordeaux.

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