Farmhouse in Hautes-Alpes, France

Kokopelli details

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The garden with glorious mountain scenery

Kokopelli - the farmhouse

Eating out on the terrace

The garden and views

The surrounding countryside

A leisurely lunch with friends on the terrace

Fun in the snow

Easter skiing, Rissoul

Home description

Winter or summer, come and discover this wonderful, little known region of France where the Alps meet Provence. In the summer enjoy stunning mountain scenery, clean air, rushing rivers and cool refreshing lakes combined with a Mediterranean climate and the scent of wild thyme, pine and lavender. In winter we can offer five major ski areas: Serre Chevalier, Les Orres, Rissoul, Var and Puy St Vincent all within 30 to 45 minutes drive from the house. Whether you are looking for an active holiday, or just want to relax and enjoy the scenery, explore alpine villages, Provencal market towns and sample the local food and wine, then this area has something to offer you.

A warm welcome awaits you at this spacious mountain farmhouse, situated in the Durance Valley between the mountains of Les Ecrins National Park and the Queyras Regional Park. The house is located on the edge of the village of Chateauroux-les-Alpes, 10 minutes drive from the historic town of Embrun and the lake of Serre-Ponçon. Marseille airport is 2.5 hours to the south via the A5.

Accommodation detail

The interior

The kitchen/dining room

Ensuite bathroom

Open plan landing area

Triple bedroom

Triple bedroom with double and single bed

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The farmhouse, which has been beautifully renovated, is set in its own gardens, with flowers and fruit trees and is bordered on one side by a stream which can be crossed to the field beyond. All around there are stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

Ground floor

• Kitchen/dining/living room - an open plan area with tiled floors and original vaulted ceiling. The dining area has a large mahogany table with seating for 12 people. The sitting room has a fireplace, TV/DVD system and sliding glass doors that open onto the side terrace. The raised kitchen area is fully equipped with modern dishwasher, electric oven and gas hob, microwave, fridge freezer and breakfast bar.
• Laundry room - there is a second fridge freezer and a washing machine in this room, which is situated off the entrance hall.
• Shower room and toilet.
• Games room

First floor

A wooden staircase leads up to a large wooden mezzanine/landing area around which the 5 bedrooms, family bathroom and toilet are located.

• Bedroom 1 - Master Bedroom, a light and airy double bedroom with view over the garden and mountains. Beautiful Italian tiled en suite bathroom with corner bath, shower, fitted basin and separate toilet.
• Bedroom 2 - with twin beds.
• Bedroom 3 - with twin beds and balcony.
• Bedroom 4 - with 3 single beds.
• Bedroom 5 - with double and single bed.
• Bathroom - with bath, shower and fitted basin.
• Toilet - with hand basin.

Outside

The gardens are large with apple, pear and greengage trees and plenty of room on the lawn for volley ball, badminton, or croquet. The gravel drive is also ideal for playing petanque. There is a garden table and chairs for eating outside on the terrace and a wooden picnic table and benches. The stream through the gate at the bottom of the garden is perfect for a paddle and it has been known for the odd trout to be caught there. There is plenty of parking outside the entrance gates by the garage.

About the location

In the village of Chateauroux-les-Alpes there is a bakery, small general store, post office, tourist information office, several bars, a pizzeria and a hotel with a friendly restaurant serving traditional cuisine, all within walking distance of the house. There is a trout farm below the village and fresh fish can be bought direct or ordered through the general store. There is also a small museum with information and displays about the fauna and flora of Les Ecrins National Park. The village tennis court is situated along the road from the house to the village and is open to all on a first come first served basis.

The historic town of Embrun is 10 minutes by car and has a good selection of supermarkets, shops, cafes, hotels and restaurants and a useful tourist information office. It is delightful to walk through Embrun's narrow Italianate streets and to admire the views from the ramparts across the River Durance to the mountains beyond. The beautiful 12th Century Cathedral is also well worth a visit. Embrun's Saturday morning market draws crowds from all over the area and should not be missed. The market square is full of stalls, selling local mountain cheeses and hams, fruit and vegetables from Provence, and local wines and liqueurs.

Other places of historical interest in the area include the Abbaye de Boscoden above Crots, the Fort of Mont-Dauphin near Guillestre, Chateau Queyras near Ville-Vielle and the towns of Gap, Briancon, Barcellonette and Sisteron. There are also some beautiful circular drives which take in some of these places: for example, around the south side of the Serre Poncon Lake, along the Ubaye valley to Barcellonnette returning over the Col de Vars to Guillestre. Alternatively, drive from Guillestre over the spectacular rocky landscape of the Col d'Izard and back via Briancon. To the east and south of Gap, one can also follow the Route des fruits and des vins.

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

Activities near by

Skiing, Sightseeing, Fishing, Walking, Tennis, Shopping, Swimming, Rock climbing, Mountain biking, Cycling, Canoeing, Water sports, Boating, Horse riding

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

How to get here

By Plane - Marseille airport - 2.5 hours hours; Grenoble airport - 3 hours; Nice Airport - 3 hours; Turin airport - 2 hours.

By Train - Euro Star to Paris Gare de Nord and night train from Gare Austerlitz at 22:10 arriving Embrun 07:15 next morning. (If you need to hire a car take the night train as far as Gap and hire the car from there). Day time alternative, TGV Lille or Paris to Valence, local service to Gap.

By Car - From Calais all the way on the motorway via Reims, Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse and Lyon to Grenoble. Then the A51 and N75 to Aspres sur Beuch, the D994 east to Gap and the N94 on to Embrun and Chateauroux. Approximately 12 hours drive from Calais.

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