Restored Farmhouse with Pool & Bikes

Restored Farmhouse details

Home description

The property is set in a quiet valley two kilometres from the small village of Lougratte which has a shop and bakery. Use one of eight bikes to get your morning crusty bread and take your children using the child seats or trailer provided. Lougratte also has a very pleasant swimming and boating lake with beach area, playground and cafe. It makes a change from the swimming pool! In summer you can hire canoes and pedalloes at the lake.

NEW FOR 2009 2 electric bikes, great for senior legs!

The stone built house has been restored to modern standards of comfort. The house has been classed as a three star gite rural which means it has been inspected by the French tourist association Gites de France.

The house is spacious enough for two families holidaying together but still cosy for smaller groups. Babies and children of all ages are catered for and your family pets are welcome here. It is a great place for 3 generation family holidays, grandparents, parents and grand children; lots of space to be together but not on top of each other.

There are no close neighbours apart from the owner. The owner has animals, two dogs, cats, ducks and chickens. All these animals are pets. Children always enjoy feeding and fussing the animals and you are welcome to fresh, free range eggs.

External features on site

• Barbecue
• Boating lake
• Garden
• Scenic views
• Swimming pool (exclusive use)

Accommodation detail

Accommodation is on two floors, with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and two WC's.

Ground Floor

• Lounge - light and airy, with original quarry tiles, comfortable seating, television, radio and cd player.
• Dining Room/Kitchen - fully equipped with dishwasher, washing machine, gas cooker, microwave, fridge, freezer, toaster, food processor. Ample crockery and cutlery. There is a large farmhouse table for inside dining.
• Bedroom 1 - with double bed.
• Bathroom - with shower and separate WC.

First Floor

• Bedroom 2 - with double bed.
• Bedroom 3 - with double and one single bed.
• Bedroom 4 - with three single beds.
• Extra sleeping capacity - there is a single bed on the large landing.

Babies - 2 cots and high chairs are provided. There are stair gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.

House Linen - all bedding, sheets, pillow cases, tea towels and towels are provided although you are asked to bring your own pool towels.

Patio Area - sit outside to enjoy the peace of the countryside. Ample chairs and tables are provided and you will probably take most of your meals outside. There is a large barbecue. The patio is fully lit for nighttime use.

Sandpit - very popular with children and adults of all ages!

Swimming Pool - lovely large pool measuring 11 x 5 metres, depth varies from 1 to 2 metres. There are steps for getting in and out or just sitting. The pool can be floodlit at night. Water purification is by a non-chlorine system, important when children and adults spend hours in the water. By the pool steps are jacuzzi jets (for technical reasons these have to be switched on or off by the owner).
From 2004, in accordance with the new French law on pool security, the pool will have a barrier to prevent accidental access to the pool by young children. This security barrier also forms a lovely suntrap where you can sunbathe on sun loungers.
Please note that the pool is not used by the owners and is for the exclusive use of guests in the house.

Garden - is large with trees and shrubs and is fully enclosed.

About the location

This part of the department of Lot et Garonne is one of gentle hills and farming countryside, with many orchards growing the famous Agen prunes. There is one such orchard just opposite the house.

Nine kilometres away is the attractive bastide town of Castillonnes which has most services. Not to be missed is the Tuesday morning market, a tradition which dates from the thirteenth century. Get your fruit and vegetables in the market (you will never want to buy supermarket stuff again!) or just browse and enjoy the local life.

Restaurants - plenty of choice from classy to simple pizzerias. There is a restaurant at Lougratte, two kilometres walk from the house. For the authentic local cuisine try eating at a ferme auberge (farm restaurant), there is one four kilometres from the house.

Wine and Local Specialties- many vineyards for well known wines such as Bergerac, Duras, Buzet and Monbazillac are close by and can be visited and the wines sampled. Food specialties include pruneaux d'Agen. These prunes are considered a gourmet food here and not a simple source of fibre! There are farms producing goat's cheese, pate and foie gras. This area has many fruit and vegetable growers and is sometimes called the garden of France. Hence, the wonderful fresh produce in the local markets.

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

Activities near by

Adventure park, Bird Watching, Boating, Boules, Canoeing, Cycling, Fishing, Golf, Gourmet dining, Hiking, Horse riding, Kayaking, Mountain biking, Rambling, Riverside activities, Shopping, Sightseeing, Swimming, Tennis, Tree adventure park, Walking, Water sports, Wine tasting

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

How to get here

The house is midway between the towns of Bergerac and Villeneuve-sur-Lot and just 1.5 kms of the N21 which is one of the quieter but main roads through France to Spain. Access to the autoroute A62 (motorway) is one hour from the house.

Airports - Bordeaux and Toulouse international airports are two hours away. Both airports have frequent flights from many UK airports. Bergerac airport is half an hour away.

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