£1200 - £2600
(€1396 - €3025)
Per property per week
Villa, sleeps 8, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Contact the owner
Contact the owner directly
Eileen Gravelle
(Advertising since November 2014)
Tel: + 44 (0)1730 816387
Tel 2: + 44 (0) 7535 484407
Please mention French Connections.
Pool terrace with vines beyond surrounded by lavender and roses (1 / 40)
Elegant stone house and front garden (2 / 40)
Pretty stone cottage at the gates of the main house (3 / 40)
Cottage side window from the main front garden (4 / 40)
Rear garden of the main house on a sunny spring day (5 / 40)
Pool and terrace with shaded gazebo for alfresco meals (6 / 40)
Dining under the gazebo with pretty garden views (7 / 40)
Extremely well equipped kitchen in the main house (8 / 40)
Revealed stone in the main house kitchen dining area (9 / 40)
Light entrance hall with door to salon and outside (10 / 40)
Open plan living for two in the restored stone cottage (11 / 40)
Fully equipped kitchen in the cottage (12 / 40)
Beautiful revealed stone in the cottage stairwell (13 / 40)
Dining for two in the cottage (14 / 40)
Main house comfortable seating in the salon (15 / 40)
Clean and bright twin room in the main house (16 / 40)
Main house second bedroom looking to landing (17 / 40)
One of two large windows in the elegant master bedroom (18 / 40)
King size bedroom under the beams in the cottage (19 / 40)
Spacious shower room in the cottage (20 / 40)
Private front courtyard seen from the kitchen window in the main house (21 / 40)
Lovely view from the master bedroom in the main house (22 / 40)
Views over the vines from the front garden (23 / 40)
Near the entrance to the hamlet of Chez Billon (24 / 40)
Chez Billon our neighbour\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s workshop (25 / 40)
A short walk to a historic 12th century abbey (26 / 40)
Chez Billon our street (27 / 40)
Early May roses and lavender on the terrace (28 / 40)
Our neighbour\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s pretty flower filled potager (29 / 40)
Great place for an aperitif on the deck above the vines (30 / 40)
The gorgeous city of Saintes is 20 minutes away (31 / 40)
Walking and hiking trails out of Chez Billon (32 / 40)
Empty beaches of the Ile de Re in October (33 / 40)
Vibrant La Rochelle makes a wonderful day trip (34 / 40)
Creperie in Mortagne sur Gironde (35 / 40)
Estuary ports like Mortagne are an easy drive (36 / 40)
Talmont one of the \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"plus beaux villages\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" 30 m (37 / 40)
Visiting a favourite restaurant on the Charente at Taillebourg (38 / 40)
Impressive Chateau de la Roche Courbon within easy driving distance (39 / 40)
Early evening near Hennessey in Cognac (40 / 40)
This elegant Charentaise country house and its pretty stone cottage stand in one acre of grounds surrounded by rolling vineyards in a beautiful hamlet. The situation of the house and cottage is truly special - in a large garden with a pretty front courtyard completely surrounded by vines and at the end of a no through road with no passing traffic.
The heated swimming pool (10 metres by 5 metres) has a large terrace flanked by a surrounding double pergola planted with Mediterranean shrubs and roses and with views of vines all around. There is a large dining terrace with a shaded tiled gazebo and 8-10 seater dining table above the pool with lovely vine views. Set apart from the pool terrace and overlooking the vines is a large new deck area with shaded pergola and extensive surrounding planting, the comfortable rattan seating offers a fantastic place for an aperitif in the cool of the evening.
Within easy walking distance is the historic 12th century Abbaye de Fontdouce in lovely gardens and grounds where picnics can be taken. The owners of the vineyards surrounding the house also maintain a large potager from which seasonal fruits and vegetables may be purchased, together with free range eggs, preserves and chutneys.
The nearby village of Burie (2 miles) has a well-stocked Carrefour supermarket, baker, excellent butcher with a good deli counter, chemist, bank with cash dispenser and an all hours petrol station. In the other direction and a couple of miles from the house, Saint Bris des Bois has a fantastic artisan baker for excellent breads, savoury tarts and a selection of patisserie. The historic city of Saintes has wonderful food markets every day of the week - most notably the Saturday morning market at the foot of the cathedral.
This lovely stone house is full of original features including beamed ceilings and a Charentaise fireplace and has been completely restored by the British owners. Work on the property included the installation of a new kitchen (with completely new equipment and appliances) and redecoration and restyling of interiors throughout.
In addition to the main house which has 3 bedrooms (2 king and one twin) and 2 shower rooms plus a ground floor toilet, there is a self-contained and completely refurbished stone cottage sleeping 2 (1 king) with:
- A spacious shower room,
- Sitting room and kitchen area.
The delightful stone cottage lies just outside the main front gate of the property and is very well equipped (wi-fi, Freesat HD tv, dvd player, woodburner, electric heating, full kitchen, sitting and dining area) to offer additional privacy, independence and flexibility. The cottage is only available as part of the booking for the main house and will never be let separately. For smaller parties of up to 6 people, the cottage can be excluded from the booking at a lower discounted price.
The whole property at Chez Billon has been renovated and equipped as the owners second home and as such we are told it stands out from other rental properties terms of its attention to detail and total relaxation. Comfortable and elegant interiors throughout with high quality furnishings, linens, fluffy white towels and pool towels all included in the rental.
The house and cottage are professionally managed by English agents who live locally and are on hand if problems arise. They also organise the pool cleaning and garden maintenance so guests can relax.
The hamlet of Chez Billon is extremely pretty and includes the site of the font (natural spring) for a noted historically important 12th century abbey (partly restored) which is within easy walking distance for picnics and concerts including an annual summer festival. The location of the property is totally peaceful and there are lovely walks (including 'Grande Randomee' (GR) hiking trails, footpaths and bike rides from both the front and back of the house (4 bikes provided).
Geographically the house is mid-way between the lovely Roman city of Saintes and world famous Cognac, both of them less than a twenty minute drive away. The sandy beaches of Royan and Isle d'Oleron are within easy range (around 40 minutes) and there are beautiful visits to the ports of the Gironde estuary (Mortagne, Meschers and Talmont) within a half hour drive.
Further afield the wonderful sea port of La Rochelle with its sandy beaches, beautiful harbour and fantastic fish restaurants is an easy day out (just over an hour's drive). The chic and tiny Ile de Re is accessible by bridge from La Rochelle and worth visiting for its pretty beaches and gorgeous seaside villages.
For longer stays Bordeaux is a 90 minute drive and is among the most beautiful cities in France. All in all the location and quality of the house offers the best of all worlds for a holiday in the Charente Maritime - one of the sunniest regions in France.
Further articles about the area, photographs and other information about the house can be found on the owners website and you will find the live link included on this listing.
There are several lovely gold courses within easy reach of the property: Fifteen minutes away is Saintes with 18 holes, an elegant stone building amid lovely countryside. St Brice Cognac is 30 minutes drive and has 18 holes with stunning vineyard views and pretty clubhouse. Other beautiful 18 hole golf courses at Royan (dune course), La Rochelle (Atlantic views) and Angouleme. The area has a very long playing season due to the high number of sunny days in the Charente Maritime.
For sea swimming, and other beach activities there are long sandy beaches at Royan 40 minutes drive away (St Georges de Didonne particularly pretty). Isle d'Oleron one hour away with numerous sandy beaches, pine forests and network of cycle tracks (Four bikes available at the house for guest use or for hire at beaches). Just over an hour's drive the old harbour at La Rochelle and the lovely beach just to the south. Pretty Ile de Re is fringed with beaches and chic villages - drive over the bridge from La Rochelle.
There are numerous walks out of the house through vines and fields and connections to green routes. Four all terrain bikes are available at the house for use on the road or cycle tracks direct from the house or elsewhere.
Saintes is a lovely city witha large range of cultural activities and sight seeing options including: a Roman arch and amphitheatre, pedestrianised shops, restaurants and river trips. Of particular note is the wonderful market in Saintes on Saturday and Wednesday mornings (get there before 10.00 am) at the base of the Cathedral with wonderful displays of fresh vegetables, fruits and all sorts of food products.
Cognac has distillery tours, markets, shops, restaurants and river trips and s well-known for its annual blues and jazz festival usually in July. Wine, pineau and cognac can be bought locally direct from producers. From May onwards many villages and towns have "brocantes" and "vides greniers" (attic sales) for those interested in acquiring a bit of old France.
The Abbaye de Fontdouce within a short walk of the property is a ruined 12th century abbey with wonderful vaulted ceilings and a pretty restored garden. Open air candlelit concerts are held in the main season festival with picnics in the garden. Also within walking distance is the Parc d'Aventure (part of the Abbey) with tree walks and zip wires for the adventurous.
Bird and wild life abound in the peaceful garden and on walks around the property with many birds not commonly seen in the UK.
Local amenities
Nearest bakery: 2 Kilometres To An Artisan Baker With Delicious Bread
Nearest supermarket: 2 Kilometres To Carrefour Connect
Nearest market: Local Villages Or Saintes Main Markets Every Day
Nearest pharmacy: 2 Kilometres
Nearest bar: 2 Kilometres In Burie
Tourist information: Saintes Or Cognac 12 Kilometres
St Bris Des Bois on the map
Property 160366 –
Nearby place of interest
How to get to Country house and cottage
There are airports at La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Bergerac, Angouleme and Limoges with the nearest being La Rochelle which is just over an hour and Bordeaux a little further.
The nearest ferry ports are St. Malo (approximately 4.5 hours drive), Caen just under 5 hours and Le Havre just over 5 hours. Car hire is recommended because of the many opportunities for sight seeing inland and day trips to the coast and estuary ports.
Access options
Car Essential, No public transport available
Nearest airport
The nearest serviceable airport is Angouleme [ANG]
Stayed here? Add your review >
The photos on the web looked almost to good to be true, but what you see is only a taste of what you get! This is a delightful super peaceful property with everything inside and out carefully planned to accommodate everyone. We had grand ideas for visiting and sightseeing but ended up enjoying swims in the pool and gentle wanderings around the hamlet in the evening. One week was just not long enough. Thank you EileenGuest rating:
We have just returned from a week in this wonderful country stone house which still has many of its original features surrounded by a beautiful flower filled garden. As we had two very young boys with us and the weather was extremely hot most of our time was spent in the pool, or relaxing on the patio around the pool, and all our meals were eaten outside under the shade of the gazebo.
Everything in the house has been beautifully presented with an immaculate kitchen that is well equipped for family cooking. The owners have certainly put a lot of thought into making this an exquisite place for rest and relaxation.
We hope to return in a cooler time of year, as we feel we did not make the most of the region.
Guest rating:
Stayed for 5 days in this beautiful comfortable home. Everything you needed was here a well equipped kitchen and tasteful furnishings.
The weather was hot and sunny so we spent most of the time round the pool enjoying the views of the vineyards beyond.
We ventured out on the bikes to the nearby village Burie which had a Huit a` Huit supermarket selling everything you may need for your holiday.
We visited Sainte, Cognac and the Ile de Re as we had hired a car, all worth a visit.
Just wish we could have spent more time here. We'll be back.
Guest rating:
We have been renting holiday properties in many regions in France for over 30 years. This was by far the best property we have ever stayed in. The owner has paid such attention to detail to ensure that everything you need is there. We love to cook, so having such a well equipped kitchen was a real bonus. The supermarkets at Saintes and Cognac offered everything we needed including oysters that we love.
We visited Remy Martin, Bordeaux, Rochefort, Ile de Rey and Ile d'Oleron and Futuroscope. We were unable to do the walks we planned as my husband injured his knee during the 2nd week, but we will save this for the next time as we will certainly come back
Guest rating:
| Property type | Villa (Self-catering) |
| Bathrooms | 3 |
| Bedrooms |
3 double bedroom(s) 1 twin bedroom(s) |
| Occupancy | 8 |
| Suitability | Suitable for children, Non-smoking |
| Linen | All bed linen, bath, kitchen and pool towels are included in the rate A change of bed linen only is provided mid-stay for stays of 14 days or more |
| Kitchen facilities | Dishwasher, Freezer, Fridge, Cooker, Ironing facilities, Microwave, Washing machine, Electric hob, Electric oven |
| Internal facilities | CD player, Central heating (electric), DVD player, English satellite TV, Exclusive rental, Hi-fi system, Internet access (broadband), Owner not on site, Telephone, TV, Wood burning fire or stove, Fans in rooms, Radio, Hairdryer, Board Games, Wi-Fi Broadband Internet, Tea/Coffee making facilities |
| External facilities | Garden, Scenic views, Swimming pool (exclusive use), Barbecue, Courtyard, Heated Pool |
| Activities nearby | Water sports, Walking, Tree adventure park, Table tennis, Swimming, Sightseeing, Shopping, Sea excursions, Sailing, Riverside activities, Museums, Golf, Cycling, Canoeing, Boating, Bird Watching, Adventure park, Wine tasting, Wine touring |
Changeover day: Non-applicable
Last updated on: 11th April 2024
| Available | Booked/Unavailable |
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| Accommodation rental period | Price |
|---|---|
| 23 March 2024 – 10 May 2024 |
£1200 Per property per week
(€1396 / $1492) |
| 11 May 2024 – 07 June 2024 |
£2000 Per property per week
(€2327 / $2487) |
| 08 June 2024 – 05 July 2024 |
£2150 Per property per week
(€2502 / $2673) |
| 06 July 2024 – 06 September 2024 |
£2350 Per property per week
(€2734 / $2922) |
| 07 September 2024 – 28 September 2024 |
£2150 Per property per week
(€2502 / $2673) |
| 29 September 2024 – 25 October 2024 |
£1200 Per property per week
(€1396 / $1492) |
| 01 April 2025 – 10 May 2025 |
£1600 Per property per week
(€1862 / $1989) |
| 11 May 2025 – 07 June 2025 |
£2150 Per property per week
(€2502 / $2673) |
| 08 June 2025 – 05 July 2025 |
£2400 Per property per week
(€2792 / $2984) |
| 06 July 2025 – 06 September 2025 |
£2600 Per property per week
(€3025 / $3233) |
| 07 September 2025 – 30 September 2025 |
£2400 Per property per week
(€2792 / $2984) |
| 01 October 2025 – 31 October 2025 |
£1600 Per property per week
(€1862 / $1989) |
Additional price notes
- These rates are for the house and the cottage let together sleeping up to 8 guests.
- Our separate listing shows rates for the house let without the cottage for up to 6 people.
- The cottage is never let separately to the main house.
- There are no additional charges for the property - all electricity and utilities are included
- Refundable security deposit payable on payment of the balance due on rental at 10 weeks before arrival (£300)
- Minimum 7 night stay
- No set changeover day